Potions & Charms

Befriending

Mitch and Scott flinched while Kirstie didn't seem surprised at all when they heard the wooden door close. "Jesus Christ" Mitch mumbled and touched his heart with one of his hands. "He's so grumpy! I swear to Merlin and Salazar himself."

Kirstie couldn't hold back a soft chuckle and looked at her friends. "He's upset about something. Soott, you should try and befriend him!" 

"Why? One of your-"

"Mhm, I just feel like you two would get along well." The woman took some more vegetables and scrunched her nose when he saw how the tall man reached for more chicken. "I had a dream about him."

"Your dreams never end well, Kirstie."

She paused, then frowned and nodded slightly. "I know. And it wasn't really clear, most if it was blurry but I don't know anyone else with that much facial hair, it must've been Avi. Just...be nice to him? He didn't do anything wrong." She took her cup and drank some of the pumpkin juice. "I really missed the food. I might visit the elves today for a little chat" she mumbled more to herself while Scott was already talking to the headmistress. 

"Professor-" he began but Minerva shushed him. "Mr. Hoying, I'm not your professor anymore."

"And I'm not your student. Please call me Scott." The elderly witch smiled at him. "I was just wondering what happened to Professor Kaplan. Has he always been like that? I don't remember him being my classmate or something."

"Oh, no, he didn't go to Hogwarts. He graduated at Durmstrang. I met him when he was 25, just a couple of years ago when he started working here." 

Oh. "Oh...I didn't expect that. He's in his thirties? He looks way older" Scott mumbled. "And a potion master at that age? That's incredibly. I honestly didn't know that was possible."

"Well, you teach at Hogwarts-"

"I started yesterday. He has been here for what, six years?"

Minerva smiled. "Yes. And we are proud to have him here at our school. Professor Kaplan has a talent for potions and the care of magical creatures and since he did not grow up with the houses he doesn't have preferences when it comes to students."

Scott chuckled. "I promise that I- okay, I like the lions. You liked us too."

"But I never favored you over others, Scott." 

Scott had a different opinion on that but he kept it to himself and just nodded before he pushed his round glasses back up. "Got it" the man mumbled and smiled. "Thank you, Minerva. He doesn't seem to have many friends here, does he?"

"No, he likes to keep to himself and I doubt that you will meet him in the staff room often. If he is there you will find him in front of the fireplace."

"And his chambers?"

"In the dungeons, as usual."

"Maybe I should go and introduce myself at some point." Scott turned back to his place and smiled as he saw the main course disappearing. Just a moment after he had a mountain of brownies in front of him, caramel sauce to his left, scoops of ice cream near Kirstie and even fruit in a bowl on his right. 

While the students squealed Mitch decided on another cup of butter beer, Kirstie went with a single brownies and some vanilla ice cream while Scott ate himself through almost everything on the table until he felt sick. He had cake, pudding, ice cream, all kinds of colors of jello and even some of Kirstie's brownie she wasn't able to finish.

"I guess you'll be the first one running laps around the lake tomorrow?" Mitch said with a smirk and finished his bowl of fruit. 

Scott just shrugged. "Probably. It's so good. Kirst, please tell the elves that I love them."

"Why don't you come with me and do it yourself?" 

But the man shook his head and started putting a piece of cake, three of the brownies and some whipped cream on his plate. "I'll go and befriend the grumpy potion master."

Scott wandered through the castle and downstairs towards the dungeon. It was getting colder and humid, just how Scott remembered it, and after walking through the corridors for what seemed like way too long he finally reached the door he knew lead Professor Slughorn's old rooms and therefore now Avriel's. He knocked, twice, and waited patiently with the plate in his hands. Then he knocked again after nothing had happened. 

When Scott raised his hand to knock a third time Avi almost ripped the door open and growled. "Merlin's saggy left- what the hell do you want?!" He looked at the tall blonde wizard standing in front of him, holding the golden plate with both hands. 

Scott was wearing a dark red diamond v neck sweater and a pair of khakis, his hair was styled, round, golden framed glasses sat on his nose, everything below it was covered by a slight stubble. "Hi, I just- I wanted to bring you dessert and ask if you need any help? Or want company?" 

Avi looked at him and didn't know what to say at first. He fought with himself, he could use some help to bottle the potions but on the other hand- then he saw the brownies on the plate and reached out to take one of them while Scott started to smile. 

He squeezed past the bearded man and looked around once he was inside, admiring the large carpets that covered the parts of the wall that weren't hidden by bookshelves and the large sofa right in front of the burning fireplace with an unholy amount of books stacked near it. 

"You like to read?" 

Avi hummed while he chewed on the brownie. "Who doesn't?" 

"Uh...yeah" Scott said and blushed before he turned back around to the smaller man. He sat down the plate on Avi's desk, careful not to knock over the ink standing on a stack of parchments. "So, how can I help?"