Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Sept 22, 2007 11:34:54 GMT
"Good afternoon, Miss Norris."
"Good afternoon, Professor."
Her Headmaster bowed his head, gesturing for her to take a seat. Kira slid down before him, separated by his large, oaken desk. She was always rather disconcerted to find herself within his office. There was something about that room... like it was too neat, or something. Most teachers in the school had a real job trying to keep their otherwise chaotic desks in order- never mind the surrounding shelves and boxes! However, despite its almost unnatural state of order, Prof. Hoodham's office always felt quite cosy.
Perhaps it was the presence of the Headmaster within it. He was a good-natured man; not old, although his dress-sense would imply so. Dressing him in a pain of baggy jeans and an old T-shirt within her mind, she felt a sudden surge of surprise as she saw just the effect it had on her Headmaster. It seemed to strip years off him.
Playing her game again, this time she placed him in a tux- much like the one Lee had worn at the Welcoming Ball. Strangely, it suited her Headmaster. He could pass for handsome- in a sort of older-guy way.
Saying that... he could only be around 35 or so... maybe less...
She'd never thought about that before. Hah! That was a good one- Professor Hoodham on the party scene through the wide rollercoaster ride of his twenties. Did he get the girls? Was he popular? Sporty? Or did his brother have all the fame when they were... wherever they were.
And now that that time had passed... did Prof. Hoodham have a life beyond the school- one where he was not bound by duty to his students? A place where he wasn't Prof. Hoodham- but Major... or were his only friends his colleagues- his fellow professors?
She'd no idea. And besides, it wasn't her place to ask.
It was just a thought. That was all.
"Do you know why I've called you here today?"
Kira knew alright. "It's time for me to interrogate Ruby."
"Not just that," Prof. Hoodham leant forward, looking directly at Kira. "Miss Norris, I trust you remember how Parmida reacted whenever your non-magic friend turned up in the middle of BlueBerg Forest?"
Kira nodded slowly. She wouldn't forget that in a hurry.
"Then I trust you know that if you ever, ever attempt something of that sort again, Parmida will not hesitate to kill him- or any other curious Cardsdalers."
Kira nodded again. She hadn't expected any less.
"And Miss Norris..." Prof. Hoodham trailed off slowly, and sighed. "If your actions lead to any more breaches of the school's security, you may find yourself expelled and banished to Cardsdale."
Kira felt like she'd been plunged into icy cold water. Struggling against its waves, she felt her mouth open and close in a desperate attempt for air.
"Miss Norris? Please calm down!"
"You're- you're n- not going to- ?!"
"It's a warning," Prof. Hoodham replied. "Believe me- I do not want to expel you, especially considering your position within the school. You've proved yourself very capable, and it would be difficult to find someone who could match up to your standard. But none the less, rules are rules- "
"Okay!" cried Kira, half-shocked, half-angry- but perhaps the latter was not righteously so. "Okay! Fine! I'm not an idiot! Warning recieved and understood- can we please get to the point?!"
Professor Hoodham's lips tightened for a moment, and Kira felt her face flood with colour, ashamed of her sharp rudeness. Self-control was not something Kira prided herself on, and she knew she'd have to work on it. But she couldn't deny that the idea of leaving Orchid was a real blow. She'd never thought that Deron and her's little plan would've caused any real upset.
How wrong she was.
Gosh... to leave Orchid? Forced to either remain in Cardsdale or sent back home to live with her parents; who would no doubt be bitter that she'd been expelled, considering how she'd escaped them and defied them just to come here in the first place? No- she wouldn't let it happen. It was too horrible a prospect.
And in the meantime... Deron... dead?
She'd never be able to live with herself after that.
"I'm sorry, Professor," Kira said stiffly, forcing herself into Lee's mind. Calm, cool, logical. Business-like. Because that's all this was. Business. All she had to do was play by the rules, or she'd lose.
Simple.
"Ruby, Professor?"
"Ruby," continued the Headmaster, as though she'd said nothing in the least bit offensive. "We don't know much about Ruby- or 'Polly' and her position within the enemy's ranks. However, if she was involved with Macy's kidnapping, we can guess that she could potentially be quite important."
"She was with Macy's kidnapper," Kira replied promptly. "In the village. Do you wish me to take her up to the school for interrogation?"
"Heavens, no!" cried Professor Hoodham. "Parmida would sense her and kill her on sight! Otherwise I would've had her removed to the catacombs when you and Macy first discovered her."
Kira felt it would be awkward to point out that it was more of a 'Natalia' and her effort. Natalia had disappeared altogether recently anyway- Macy didn't talk, so Kira didn't ask. She felt it would be too rude.
And Macy hardly needed reminding of her sister.
"Still no lead on how her kidnapper was murdered?" Kira questioned tentatively. Natalia and Kira had both agreed that the fact that Natalia was responsible for his death should be kept strictly under wraps. It was... 'their little secret', so to speak.
"None whatsoever," sighed Professor Hoodham, massaging his temple. "Our 'Polly' has been keeping up a good pretence, and his body has been disposed of accordingly. There's not a single trace of his murder. And I trust Seamus and Lisle have kept you updated on Polly's actions?"
"As always, Professor," replied Kira. "Seamus and Lisle have been taking it in turns to keep a watch on her. She's being as good as gold, and they've even spotted a couple of people they're suspicious of being her comrades."
"Excellent," smiled the Headmaster, clapping his hands and rubbing together. "Excellent... excellent... Well, I feel time is time enough. Are you ready to go and interrogate her?"
"Of course."
"And you do realise... I wish you to bring back-up with you, just in case?"
"Of course, Professor."
"Anyone in mind?"
An image of Ailith swelled before her. Kira suppressed a smile. "Training's this Monday, Professor. I'll be putting them through their paces."
"Throwing them in at the deep end?"
Kira nodded. "I think they can handle it- don't you?"
"Good afternoon, Professor."
Her Headmaster bowed his head, gesturing for her to take a seat. Kira slid down before him, separated by his large, oaken desk. She was always rather disconcerted to find herself within his office. There was something about that room... like it was too neat, or something. Most teachers in the school had a real job trying to keep their otherwise chaotic desks in order- never mind the surrounding shelves and boxes! However, despite its almost unnatural state of order, Prof. Hoodham's office always felt quite cosy.
Perhaps it was the presence of the Headmaster within it. He was a good-natured man; not old, although his dress-sense would imply so. Dressing him in a pain of baggy jeans and an old T-shirt within her mind, she felt a sudden surge of surprise as she saw just the effect it had on her Headmaster. It seemed to strip years off him.
Playing her game again, this time she placed him in a tux- much like the one Lee had worn at the Welcoming Ball. Strangely, it suited her Headmaster. He could pass for handsome- in a sort of older-guy way.
Saying that... he could only be around 35 or so... maybe less...
She'd never thought about that before. Hah! That was a good one- Professor Hoodham on the party scene through the wide rollercoaster ride of his twenties. Did he get the girls? Was he popular? Sporty? Or did his brother have all the fame when they were... wherever they were.
And now that that time had passed... did Prof. Hoodham have a life beyond the school- one where he was not bound by duty to his students? A place where he wasn't Prof. Hoodham- but Major... or were his only friends his colleagues- his fellow professors?
She'd no idea. And besides, it wasn't her place to ask.
It was just a thought. That was all.
"Do you know why I've called you here today?"
Kira knew alright. "It's time for me to interrogate Ruby."
"Not just that," Prof. Hoodham leant forward, looking directly at Kira. "Miss Norris, I trust you remember how Parmida reacted whenever your non-magic friend turned up in the middle of BlueBerg Forest?"
Kira nodded slowly. She wouldn't forget that in a hurry.
"Then I trust you know that if you ever, ever attempt something of that sort again, Parmida will not hesitate to kill him- or any other curious Cardsdalers."
Kira nodded again. She hadn't expected any less.
"And Miss Norris..." Prof. Hoodham trailed off slowly, and sighed. "If your actions lead to any more breaches of the school's security, you may find yourself expelled and banished to Cardsdale."
Kira felt like she'd been plunged into icy cold water. Struggling against its waves, she felt her mouth open and close in a desperate attempt for air.
"Miss Norris? Please calm down!"
"You're- you're n- not going to- ?!"
"It's a warning," Prof. Hoodham replied. "Believe me- I do not want to expel you, especially considering your position within the school. You've proved yourself very capable, and it would be difficult to find someone who could match up to your standard. But none the less, rules are rules- "
"Okay!" cried Kira, half-shocked, half-angry- but perhaps the latter was not righteously so. "Okay! Fine! I'm not an idiot! Warning recieved and understood- can we please get to the point?!"
Professor Hoodham's lips tightened for a moment, and Kira felt her face flood with colour, ashamed of her sharp rudeness. Self-control was not something Kira prided herself on, and she knew she'd have to work on it. But she couldn't deny that the idea of leaving Orchid was a real blow. She'd never thought that Deron and her's little plan would've caused any real upset.
How wrong she was.
Gosh... to leave Orchid? Forced to either remain in Cardsdale or sent back home to live with her parents; who would no doubt be bitter that she'd been expelled, considering how she'd escaped them and defied them just to come here in the first place? No- she wouldn't let it happen. It was too horrible a prospect.
And in the meantime... Deron... dead?
She'd never be able to live with herself after that.
"I'm sorry, Professor," Kira said stiffly, forcing herself into Lee's mind. Calm, cool, logical. Business-like. Because that's all this was. Business. All she had to do was play by the rules, or she'd lose.
Simple.
"Ruby, Professor?"
"Ruby," continued the Headmaster, as though she'd said nothing in the least bit offensive. "We don't know much about Ruby- or 'Polly' and her position within the enemy's ranks. However, if she was involved with Macy's kidnapping, we can guess that she could potentially be quite important."
"She was with Macy's kidnapper," Kira replied promptly. "In the village. Do you wish me to take her up to the school for interrogation?"
"Heavens, no!" cried Professor Hoodham. "Parmida would sense her and kill her on sight! Otherwise I would've had her removed to the catacombs when you and Macy first discovered her."
Kira felt it would be awkward to point out that it was more of a 'Natalia' and her effort. Natalia had disappeared altogether recently anyway- Macy didn't talk, so Kira didn't ask. She felt it would be too rude.
And Macy hardly needed reminding of her sister.
"Still no lead on how her kidnapper was murdered?" Kira questioned tentatively. Natalia and Kira had both agreed that the fact that Natalia was responsible for his death should be kept strictly under wraps. It was... 'their little secret', so to speak.
"None whatsoever," sighed Professor Hoodham, massaging his temple. "Our 'Polly' has been keeping up a good pretence, and his body has been disposed of accordingly. There's not a single trace of his murder. And I trust Seamus and Lisle have kept you updated on Polly's actions?"
"As always, Professor," replied Kira. "Seamus and Lisle have been taking it in turns to keep a watch on her. She's being as good as gold, and they've even spotted a couple of people they're suspicious of being her comrades."
"Excellent," smiled the Headmaster, clapping his hands and rubbing together. "Excellent... excellent... Well, I feel time is time enough. Are you ready to go and interrogate her?"
"Of course."
"And you do realise... I wish you to bring back-up with you, just in case?"
"Of course, Professor."
"Anyone in mind?"
An image of Ailith swelled before her. Kira suppressed a smile. "Training's this Monday, Professor. I'll be putting them through their paces."
"Throwing them in at the deep end?"
Kira nodded. "I think they can handle it- don't you?"
