Potions & Charms

Sorting

It was the day the students arrived. While they swarmed the castle Avi got ready for the sorting ceremony. He was wearing tight, black pants, a black button up shirt and a heavy cloak that made him look like an incredible large bat as it was flowing behind him when he hurried through the corridors.

The man looked at himself through the mirror and ran his hand through his dark hair. A strand in the front wasn't white or gray but shimmered silver in the moonlight, like unicorn hair, especially during the full moon. Since he was in his thirties now some of Avi's hair had already started to get lighter in color and ended up being as silver as the strand in the front. And he didn't care, he was aging slowly and even though he spent most of his time that he wasn't teaching by himself he still wanted to look good.

Thin braids and parts of it covered by silver rings were hidden in his curly mane. While his beard was rather full he took great pride of how neat it looked. Not a single hair was too long or peeking out, his whiskers were just the right length and his mustache covered only parts of his upper lip. Avi took a deep breath before he reached for his wand, slid it up his left sleeve and then left his chambers.

As he was walking up the stairs to the ground level Kirstie came downstairs from the Astronomy Tower where her rooms were located. She was one step ahead and either didn't notice or just ignored Avi, he didn't care, but it gave him the opportunity to have a closer look at her.

The silver ends of her wavy hair were way past her hips, blended into a dark blue and then to black the farther up he looked. It was resting on a see through, dark blue robe with golden celestial signs and stars that was way longer than Kirstin was tall and dragged behind her just like a cape. Underneath the cape she must have been wearing black pants as Avi noticed some of the light coming through the gap between her legs as she was walking in front of him. He followed her to the Great Hall and heard her ankle strap high heels clicking on the floor with every step.

Avi sat down next to Kevin, as always, at the far right at the table while the new teachers were sitting left from the Headmistress. "So, as the Head of Ravenclaw you must be awfully excited to meet your new kids, huh?" he grumbled and scooted closer to the table.

Kevin chuckled. "I am, yes."

Avi sighed and looked through the hall as the other students entered it and sat down on the long, wooden tables under the flags of their house. For a moment he drifted off and remembered the day he set foot into the Great Hall for the first time.

It had been right after his three year stay with an old potion maker in Argentina where he studied South America's rare potion ingredients and their effect on the human body. After Avi finished writing a book about his experiences he sent a letter to Albus Dumbledore, asking if he would be able to teach at Hogwarts and just a few hours later he was standing beneath the floating candles in the Great Hall, admiring the sun shining through the large windows behind the teacher's table. That was when he knew that he wanted to stay.

Kevin pulled him out of his thoughts when he jabbed him in the side with his elbow. "Avi!" he said and the man blinked in confusion before he realized that the table was loaded with food. "Goodness gracious, did you really miss the whole sorting ceremony?"

Had he really missed the whole sorting ceremony? He cleared his throat and took the bowl of potatoes Kevin had been holding to push some on his plate. "I guess. It's boring anyways. Thanks, Kevin" the bearded man mumbled, set it back down and reached for the gravy.

"Did you miss Minerva's speech too?"

Avi shrugged. "It's the same shit every year, I stopped listening after the second speech from Dumbledore."

"Well then I should probably fill you in and tell you that she received a letter from the Minister for Magic this morning."

Avi frowned. "So what? This is Hogwarts, they don't-"

"The Ministry is starting to interfere at Hogwarts, Avi. This is serious. They're sending dementors to patrol the grounds of the castle."

"Why? It's not like whoever broke out of Azkaban is trying to get into a school. That's stupid. I would hide in the woods, far away from anything magical."

Kevin nodded slowly. "I don't think they sent them to look for a fugitive."

The bearded man slowly chewed on a piece of potato. "You don't? Then why should they be here?"

"To keep an eye on us and track our movement. Now that Minerva is the head of school Albus can continue his research. Maybe he knows too much, maybe they're just waiting for him to mess up, I don't know. But you have to understand we have to take care of the students, okay?"

"Kevin- I don't hate the kids. I love children, especially the tiny ones that just drool and sleep a lot, and I will do anything to protect them. That's my job as a teacher here at the school."

Kevin nodded. "Good. I just wanted to make sure you're aware of the extra work we have to deal with this year. Keep them inside and off the grounds."

"Will do. Can I eat now? I'm hungry and in a rush, my potions are almost done and Poppy wants them in the Hospital wing by 10pm." He heard Mitch on the other side of the table laughing. "And I don't feel like dealing with the new ones today."

"But we wanted to play chess in the staff room tonight!"

"Yeah, not happening. You can play with Mr. Dark-red-V-Neck-Sweater and the dude that's wearing ankle boots. Weirdo." Avriel cleaned is plate in just under five minutes and disappeared through the door behind the table, slamming it shut behind him.