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last online Mar 22, 2024 20:49:17 GMT -7
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Aug 1, 2020 14:00:49 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Aug 1, 2020 14:00:49 GMT -7
October 2025 In her time at Hogwarts (both as a student and as a staff member), Parvati had thought that she had seen just about everything. Having been through the Battle of Hogwarts, there wasn't much that could really top that. Sometimes, though, the things that happened at Hogwarts still weren't expected. That included what the students were calling "mattress surfing", some sort of competition that had become popular among the fifth-year students and spread from there. It was, unfortunately, what Parvati had suspected: a sport of who could get their mattress down the stairs the quickest. It wasn't just on the stationary staircases, either. Apparently, some students had been caught on the moving staircases, and the staff needed to put a stop to it.
"You know Minerva isn't going to be happy about this, Blaise…" Parvati sighed, closing and locking her office door after having wandlessly soundproofed the room. "And I can't say that I'm pleased," she added as she sat back down upon her desk chair, its seat facing the velvet chaise longue that sat across from it that she used for her counseling sessions. Parvati knew that there was likely to be some criticism from Slytherin's Head of House, though she hadn't sanctioned any of what had gone on. "I can't tell you how many House points I've docked this week, and I've heard some of the students say that there were prefects involved…" It reminded her of something that Fred and George Weasley might have tried in school, which, while funny then, was a headache to deal with as part of the school's staff.
blaise leo zabini
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blaise leo zabini
HOGWARTS ALUM SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE MAGIC DADA TEACHER OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS DUELING MASTERY ORDER OF MERLIN - SECOND CLASS
134 posts
played by Colin
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last online Mar 26, 2024 10:21:51 GMT -7
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Aug 2, 2020 20:39:35 GMT -7
Post by blaise leo zabini on Aug 2, 2020 20:39:35 GMT -7
▲ Mattress surfing. Why, in Merlin’s magical world, was that suddenly a thing that was happening? Blaise had figured it as a one off occurrence, maybe even a silly rumor at first, because there was no way that Hogwarts students were dumb enough to yank their mattresses off of their four-poster beds and then ride them down the staircases. While he knew it was one-hundred percent feasible (and possible now that he had witnessed it first-hand), what Blaise couldn’t wrap his head around was why they were doing it. Competition aside, why? And it was coming from anyone that could get their hands on a spare mattress. At first he was ready to slap all the blame on the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, since they had the most likely chance being in their towers. But he had stumbled upon a group of Hufflepuffs and Slytherins attempting it on a smaller, back stairwell in the dungeons. Blaise could only assume this was a practice run, where they would later use one of the other houses mattresses since they couldn’t really carry their own up seven flights of moving staircases. So that was where they were at now. The Heads of Houses were due to meet at the end of the day and discuss a plan of action, in which he was going to offer up the idea of having all the mattresses charmed to their four-posters, only accessible by the house elves that did the laundry. There was no reason they shouldn’t have been like that already. First though, he had been summoned to Parvati’s office, in what he assumed was a pre-meeting to get an idea of what the actual scale of this whole thing was. “I think it makes sense,” he mused, when she brought up the fact that Prefects were potentially involved as well. “They’ve probably decided collectively that joining it was easier than trying to stop it. All they have to say is that a classmate stole their mattress, they were trying to get it back, and then were forced into the game.” He figured that made sense, and that was bound to be an excuse from some of the perpetrators. They couldn’t very well punish the entire school for something they were all doing, and the Prefects wouldn’t get in trouble for inaction either. He hated to classify it as a well-organized thing, but it certainly seemed that way to him. “I just want to know why this is a thing in the first place, and why it’s never happened before.”MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0
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last online Mar 22, 2024 20:49:17 GMT -7
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Aug 2, 2020 21:30:26 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Aug 2, 2020 21:30:26 GMT -7
October 2025 "I think it makes sense," Blaise said of the likely prefect involvement in Hogwarts's latest—albeit unsanctioned—sport. "They’ve probably decided collectively that joining it was easier than trying to stop it." That any of the students would have been intrigued enough by the idea of riding their mattresses down the school's staircases was ridiculous, yet that was precisely what was happening. Parvati didn't want to think that even her own prefects were in on the mess, but she unfortunately knew better than to think that the Gryffindors hadn't played their part. "All they have to say is that a classmate stole their mattress, they were trying to get it back, and then were forced into the game."
Parvati gave a slight laugh. It wasn't much of an excuse—and the students should have known that no one on the school staff was so naïve as to believe it—but it was also something that she imagined a few of the students might try. At least there hadn't been as many Hospital Wing visits as she would have imagined… touch wood.
"I just want to know why this is a thing in the first place, and why it’s never happened before."
Laughing a bit harder, Parvati shook her head. She and Blaise had been in the same year in school; he undoubtedly had the same memories as she did of the things that people got up to back then. "The Quidditch season starts in a few weeks," she pointed out; the first matches would be in November. "And they couldn't wait until then?" The students had Flying lessons—even advanced lessons, if they wanted them—and yet "mattress surfing" was their latest thrill? Thank Merlin, she thought for once, that Sav had gone into professional Quidditch. "We'll have to put Sticking Charms on all the mattresses," she suggested, though they would need to be strong enough that the students wouldn't be able to undo them. It was either that or keeping them all in the Great Hall well after dinner, she supposed, which she didn't think would be popular where anyone was concerned.
blaise leo zabini
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blaise leo zabini
HOGWARTS ALUM SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE MAGIC DADA TEACHER OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS DUELING MASTERY ORDER OF MERLIN - SECOND CLASS
134 posts
played by Colin
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last online Mar 26, 2024 10:21:51 GMT -7
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Sept 16, 2020 15:59:06 GMT -7
Post by blaise leo zabini on Sept 16, 2020 15:59:06 GMT -7
▲ At first, Blaise thought she was going to suggest cancelling Quidditch matches as a school-wide punishment, but he understood that it was more to do with the adrenaline brought on by the sport. That was a fair point. The only other reason he could put behind this, and it was a slim one at best, was the fact that the damn quarantine that started in the spring had driven every student absolutely bonkers with cabin fever. While it had never looked like people took it seriously, it had been a pain to get over the sickness for him. That sort of recklessness then, and now this, really irked him. Mostly because he didn’t understand the logic behind it. Aside from being fun, what else was there to it? “They’ll find a way to get those off unless we have the house elves do it. I doubt anyone currently here could top their magic.” Unfortunately, he knew quite a few students that would immediately challenge the sticking charms and probably end up doing more damage to their dorms than was reasonable. He didn’t want to name names, but Potter was the first to come to mind. Which was also interesting, because he hadn’t heard her name floating around at all throughout this. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Thinking that way made him no better than Snape had been, always going after Harry. At least this time his daughter was actually a recluse and acted out all the time. When it did come down to punishments though, what was the best way? There were only so many house points they could take away before it didn’t matter anymore (and the students knew that), and it was clear that the ones participating didn’t care about detentions. “I’m sort of at a loss here on what to do. Other than making sure they can’t jury-rig anything else in the dorms.” He had horrid premonitions of students dragging sofas out of the common rooms and dangling them precariously over the edge of the stairs. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0
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last online Mar 22, 2024 20:49:17 GMT -7
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Sept 16, 2020 21:39:55 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Sept 16, 2020 21:39:55 GMT -7
October 2025 Parvati did know better than to suggest that they cancel Quidditch. First of all, there was no reason for it. Second of all, most of the student body would revolt at that news. Any decision of that nature would have to be left to Professor McGonagall, she thought. It was all hypothetical, anyway. No one (that Parvati knew of) was thinking of cancelling Quidditch over the mattress surfing phenomenon, although she didn't doubt that there would be punishments for the students who were found to have taken part in it.
As for the preventative measures that she had suggested, Blaise wasn't so sure that her proposal would work; they would need house-elf magic, he stated, if they wanted to ensure that it would stick. Looking pained at the thought, Blaise pinched at the bridge of his nose. "I’m sort of at a loss here on what to do," he admitted. "Other than making sure they can’t jury-rig anything else in the dorms."
The students would find some way to skirt the rules; the question was how they could establish boundaries and enforce the rules in such a way that the students wouldn't be tempted to break them again. Being heavy-handed with school rules wasn't something Parvati enjoyed, but it was a challenge when the rules really were for the students' safety.
"I know," Parvati empathized. "I know. They'll try something else, won't they?" It would probably be worse, too, but that didn't mean that they could do nothing about the situation as it was. The students needed to know that that sort of behavior wouldn't be tolerated—and that it was dangerous. "I know Quidditch has its risks," and injury among those, "but Merlin's beard…" Hopefully, the students would tire of their new hobby soon enough. Until then, Blaise had a point about the house-elves. "If the prefects won't follow school rules," she considered, "asking the house-elves to help us might be useful."
blaise leo zabini
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blaise leo zabini
HOGWARTS ALUM SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE MAGIC DADA TEACHER OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS DUELING MASTERY ORDER OF MERLIN - SECOND CLASS
134 posts
played by Colin
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last online Mar 26, 2024 10:21:51 GMT -7
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Sept 23, 2020 21:01:59 GMT -7
Post by blaise leo zabini on Sept 23, 2020 21:01:59 GMT -7
▲ There were hardened criminals out there that Blaise understood better than he did some of the students at Hogwarts. He had always thought he wouldn’t be one of those adults, but here he was, completely befuddled and trying not to play the old guy that simply didn’t get it. Maybe he had been spoiled by his own kids. They were easy, for the most part. Or maybe the spoiling had come from years of interrogation through methods that scraped along the edge of legality. Obviously he couldn’t go around trying to read students’ minds with his Legilimency or casting mind probing spells on them, but those were the only ways he knew that worked one-hundred percent of the time and got people to spill all the juicy details. Filch, the old bastard, would have loved to hear Blaise regale his stories about Obliviating. Sometimes he missed those days as well. Dealing with children was beyond exhausting, especially when he thought he had left that behind him years ago. Parvati seemed to be considering his idea of getting the house elves to do most of the work. Who was he kidding? They’d love a task like that. Blinking the mattresses right out of the students’ hands and then magically gluing them back to the beds? They practically lived for weird tasks like that. And even though they had their own free will at Hogwarts, it wasn’t like they were going to say no if they were asked to do it. Too much of their nature was ingrained in doing work, and they would be on it in a matter of seconds if given the chance. “It would certainly solve the immediate problem. We both know how things work here. We obviously can’t ignore it, because a student will get severely injured or worse, and if this issue is resolved, that removes a large amount of culpability.” And if the students pulled the couches out for round two? It would be harder for them to convince parents that the school hadn’t been trying to take action against the game. Mattresses were one thing, whilst other furniture tipped into the unbelievable territory. At least in his opinion, it was. MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0
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last online Mar 22, 2024 20:49:17 GMT -7
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Sept 24, 2020 15:53:42 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Sept 24, 2020 15:53:42 GMT -7
October 2025 The thought of giving the house-elves the task of magically ensuring that the students' mattresses couldn't go anywhere might have been a little bit unorthodox, but it saved any concerns about the (non-elf) staff members need to enter students' dormitories. Besides, while it might have seemed a little strange on the face of it, the house-elves were in and out of the dormitories and common rooms to clean up after the students, so it wouldn't be asking much more of them to request that they fix the mattresses. Blaise stated that it would at least solve the immediate problem of mattress surfing, which was what they needed. "We both know how things work here," he added. "We obviously can’t ignore it, because a student will get severely injured or worse, and if this issue is resolved, that removes a large amount of culpability." "Exactly," Parvati agreed. The school's Board of Governors and the students' families wouldn't be breathing down their necks and looking for an explanation as to their inaction if something were to go seriously wrong. Especially when they were already entrusted with so many students from Ilvermorny and not just Hogwarts, Parvati felt that it was important that they err on the side of caution. Even if that meant that some of the students weren't particularly thrilled with them, they needed to see—at the end of the day—that it wasn't just about ruining their fun. "I think that's fair, Blaise," Parvati continued, "and very likely the best we can hope for without making anything worse for the students or ourselves." They would have to deal with any fallout as it came. "I think we should bring that up in the next staff meeting, if not sooner. Because you know they'll try again as soon as they think we're not looking…" blaise leo zabini
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blaise leo zabini
HOGWARTS ALUM SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE MAGIC DADA TEACHER OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS DUELING MASTERY ORDER OF MERLIN - SECOND CLASS
134 posts
played by Colin
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last online Mar 26, 2024 10:21:51 GMT -7
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Nov 24, 2020 7:21:15 GMT -7
Post by blaise leo zabini on Nov 24, 2020 7:21:15 GMT -7
▲ Of course his plan was a good start to abolishing all of this nonsense. He had been trained for decades on proper planning and then executing what he had come up with. Student shenanigans were easily in the top tier of unpredictability, but he had found it fairly easy to squash a lot of their nonsense before it became a bigger problem. The mattress surfing was unique in that the actual act of it multiplied exponentially incredibly fast, enough so that it had only taken a few weeks of isolated incidents to become a full-fledged issue. He was glad he wasn’t the only one running into it though. There were often times where he thought (and he knew this was a paranoid and incorrect way to think) that the students tried to get under his skin specifically because they viewed him as a hard-ass. Blaise, while gruff and rather curt at times, knew that this was the only way to get through to some of the students, and it made them pay attention in class. If he was teaching Charms, maybe he’d lay off a bit. In the end, the students could complain all they want. They never had the honor to be taught by McGonagall or Snape, who were both voracious in their respective subjects though on far different ends of the personality spectrum. The kids at Hogwarts now had it significantly easier with their education, in his opinion. “Have you talked to any other staff members yet?” he asked when Parvati brought up the mention of a meeting between all of them. That should have happened already, but he figured if they all only witnessed one or two instances of the act with the same groups of students like he had, none of them were probably connecting the dots until now. Maybe that was the whole point of having some students start at the tower staircases and others in the dungeons. Spreading themselves thin so as to stay out of the watchful gaze of the professors. Obviously the Prefects were letting it go too, so that meant there was more of this going on than they actually knew of so far. “I’m assuming McGonagall doesn’t know the full extent of it yet?” Blaise added. All the professors still had jobs and hell hadn’t frozen over yet, so if the Headmaster had seen some of the mattress surfing, she had most likely dealt with it the same way the rest of them had. He preferred not to be on the wrong end of her glare again now that he was an adult. It scared him as a student, and it certainly still scared him now. MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0
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last online Mar 22, 2024 20:49:17 GMT -7
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Dec 23, 2020 11:37:07 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Dec 23, 2020 11:37:07 GMT -7
October 2025 It was sort of amazing that there hadn't been more issues because of the mattress surfing trend, but putting a stop to it before it could worsen was an absolute necessity. It was something that Parvati and Blaise would be able to do on their own, even with the authority that they held in their respective positions at the school. To Blaise's credit, he did have a more fearsome reputation among the students than Parvati did, so hopefully any misbehavior could be addressed quickly.
The more communication between members of staff, Parvati felt, the easier it would be to keep everything under control. Blaise asked if she had spoken with anyone else on staff, to which she shook her head. "I've had conversations here and there," she explained to him, "but I haven't had a proper discussion with anyone else yet." Aside from Blaise, it had mostly been mentions in passing, but the phenomenon was so outrageous that she didn't think that any of them had expected it to continue for as long as it had. "I know Clarence is aware of it," she added, which would probably help in convincing any of the Ilvermorny transfer students that they needed to stop surfing down the staircases on mattresses.
"I'm assuming McGonagall doesn't know the full extent of it yet?" Blaise checked.
"Not that I've heard," replied Parvati. "Mind you, McGonagall has got her ways…" She knew that Blaise knew that just as well as she did. Minerva McGonagall's age hadn't made her any less shrewd, but she must not have known how much of it was still going on; it hadn't been brought up yet.
blaise leo zabini
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blaise leo zabini
HOGWARTS ALUM SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE MAGIC DADA TEACHER OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS DUELING MASTERY ORDER OF MERLIN - SECOND CLASS
134 posts
played by Colin
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last online Mar 26, 2024 10:21:51 GMT -7
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Dec 28, 2020 21:05:09 GMT -7
Post by blaise leo zabini on Dec 28, 2020 21:05:09 GMT -7
▲ So it really was going to come down to a faculty meeting to get all their ducks in a row. The worst part was that Blaise felt like he couldn’t even trust his Prefects anymore to accurately report anything to him. Now, obviously this situation was a bit different than witnessing students attacking each other or committing more heinous rules violations. Yet he already knew that he there would be that nagging though at the back of his head every time one of them reported something to him. What else weren’t they reporting? Where does their discretion on certain things start and end? Walking students back to their dorms when breaking curfew and not writing up a report was one thing (Blaise had always found that a stuffy rule to be taking house points from anyways), but not reporting this situation and actively participating in it was so odd. “I have to remind myself often that these are children, after all,” Blaise sighed. The Prefects were not his direct subordinates like he had at the Ministry, and the students in Slytherin were still in his charge. At the end of it, he was of the opinion that this was due to his own oversights and lack of structure in Slytherin. A blanket punishment would probably have to be in order, though that would be decided upon with the other professors, heads of houses, and McGonagall. While he wanted to make it clear to his own students, there was still the concept of fairness, and punishing them more when they may not have been the worst of it would not sit well with him either. “Knowing her, she’s been clued in from the start and is testing our competence.” Because it would eventually come back on them. In his own defense, he was barely on the floors above his classroom, and there never seemed to be any issues below the first floor, aside from the back dungeon stairwell. “Thoughts on when we bring this up in a meeting? I’d say tonight after dinner, if everyone is here.”MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0
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last online Mar 22, 2024 20:49:17 GMT -7
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Jan 30, 2021 9:07:03 GMT -7
Post by parvati patil macmillan on Jan 30, 2021 9:07:03 GMT -7
October 2025 Blaise acknowledged that there was only so much that they could expect the prefects to do, considering that they were children. Aside from the fact they were tasked with helping to enforce the school rules, there wasn't very much that most of them could do, from a practical standpoint. Obviously, they weren't a group of first-years running around, but there were also moments where it didn't seem completely practicable to be relying upon some fifteen- to barely eighteen-year-olds to keep their peers from treating their mattresses as the next great thing in sport. "Knowing her," he said in reference to Minerva McGonagall, "she's been clued in from the start and is testing our competence." Parvati nodded. He had a point. McGonagall might have been waiting to swoop in, but Parvati knew that it didn't need to come to that. "I might be forty-five years old," Parvati began with a slight laugh, "but I'd rather not face her wrath…""Thoughts on when we bring this up in a meeting? I'd say tonight after dinner, if everyone is here." Again, Parvati was in agreement with him. The sooner they dealt with all of it, the better, but they would need to make sure that their colleagues were aware of the problem—and that they were prepared to stop it. "That's probably best," she answered, "before any more mattresses go flying…"blaise leo zabini OOC: I think we can call this done, unless you want to do one more?
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