Hate This & I'll Love You *Victoria Abel/OPEN*

Chad Donovan made his way to camp out as inconspicuously as possible near the Gargoyle that takes you to the Headmistress' office. He had never been in there or seen the Gargoyle move, but he had been told about it by the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick. He set up on a bench where the Gargoyle would be in eye and ear shot and pulled out his DADA text book and opened it to a random page.

Why was he attempting to stalk the Headmistress? There was one simple answer to that. She was beautiful and young, too young in Chad's opinion. He wanted to figure out why she had been made the Head when Hanley Lugaid seemed a very together, capable, and brilliant Wizard. Chad pulled out a blank piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink and began to write down his thoughts and the questions he wanted answered by following Professor Mavis Cerdwin.

Professor Mavis Cerdwin strode down the corridors with purpose in her steps. She nodded greetings to anyone who made eye contact with her and said friendly, but hurried hellos to everyone else she passed.

"Good day Mister Donovan!" she said as she passed the Ravenclaw student not far from her office. She paid him no more attention than that simple greeting.

When she came upon the gargoyle who guarded the stairway to her office she said, "Wulfric." The gargoyle sprang to life and moved aside. Mavis navigated the winding stairwell and entered her office. Portraits of all the late Heads lined the walls save the one who let the school fall. In the place where he would normally have been was a portrait of Minerva McGonagall, looking as stern and brilliant as ever. "Good morning!" Mavis chimed to the portraits, all of whom responded in one way or another, not all in a kind or cheery manor.

Slightly bored, and in desperate need of some entertainment, Victoria decided to take a walk around the castle. You can learn the most interesting things by just taking a walk. She wasn't one for gossip, but she did love a good story every now and again. There was one certain story that peaked her interest the most. The one where Mavis Cerdwin was appointed Headmistress instead of Lugaid. Taking a roundabout route, she slowly made her way to Cerdwin's office. Stopping to talk to her friends on the way.

As she approached the Headmistress's office, she took notice of Chad Donovan, she recognized him as a fellow Ravenclaw, but that was it. Raising her eyebrow she decided to investigate, it confused her as to why Donovan was outside Cerdwin's office. He was far enough away not to spark their fellow student's notice, but close enough that it was suspicious to those who were curious. Another thing that made him sitting there odd, was the fact that the page that he opened rather randomly to, was a page that the DADA class had covered quite a while ago.

Rather unceremoniously she sat down near Chad, glancing at him, "are you stocking the Headmistress?" She laughed, "sorry, I don't mean to be nosy, but we covered that part in class months ago. It seems that you are paying much more attention to Professor Cerdwin then the book."

"And to you Professor!" Chad called after the Headmistress as he watched her walk by. He strained his ears to hear her password and watched the Gargoyle leap to the side. "Wooldric? Woofric?" he muttered to himself, trying to figure out what she had said. He decided that he might sneak out later tonight to test a few words and see if he can figure out the password.

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are you stocking the Headmistress?" sorry, I don't mean to be nosy, but we covered that part in class months ago. It seems that you are paying much more attention to Professor Cerdwin then the book.

Chad jumped at Victoria Abel's initial question mostly because he didn't notice her there before she spoke. "Why would I be stalking the Headmistress?" he said forcing a chuckle.

He looked down at the book and said, "Just reviewing everything we've learned so far. I want to be prepared for any unexpected tests they might give us..." It was almost painful for him to say. He had never had to re-read anything a second time because of his excellent memory and he hated even the thought of having to do so.

"What about you? Could we be projecting?" he asked Victoria, suddenly suspecting that she might have an interest in the Headmistress as well. "Maybe she's noticed something..." he thought to himself and then put his mind to finding out what Abel might know.

Victoria shrugged, "I don't know," she grinned, "perhaps you have a fancy for her? She is a... charming woman." Instead of biting her nails like she was about to, she began gnawing on her lip. Fingers locked together on her lap so she wouldn't bring them up near her mouth.

Still grinning, Victoria raised an eyebrow, "reviewing? Really? I sincerely doubt that we will have any unexpected tests on things we covered months ago. Besides, I am sure you would do just fine, with out the studying."

She laughed, "Me? What am I doing here?" Victoria shrugged, "nothing really, just out for a walk around the castle. I am going through a bit of writer's block, so I was hoping the walk could clear my head. I already tried my music, but that didn't work, normally it does, but this time I didn't which is really strange. And now I am rambling." She paused, laughing at her self briefly. "Sorry, I tend to do that a lot."

She glanced at him, wanting to ask if he was as curious as she, "Though, it is rather curious..." she paused, "ah, never mind, forget I said anything." Her eyes darted away from him, cursing herself for even saying anything. He'd think that all she'd want was a bit of gossip to share.

((Sorry, it's a tad short.))

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I don't know, perhaps you have a fancy for her? She is a... charming woman. reviewing? Really? I sincerely doubt that we will have any unexpected tests on things we covered months ago. Besides, I am sure you would do just fine, with out the studying. Me? What am I doing here? nothing really, just out for a walk around the castle. I am going through a bit of writer's block, so I was hoping the walk could clear my head. I already tried my music, but that didn't work, normally it does, but this time I didn't which is really strange. And now I am rambling. Sorry, I tend to do that a lot. Though, it is rather curious...ah, never mind, forget I said anything.

Chad listened intently, finding Victoria's antics rather amusing. He took note of her mentioning writing and thought perhaps he had another journalist for the Hogwarts Tribune before him. There was definitely a reason she was in Ravenclaw. He smiled and said, "First of all, as charming as Professor Cerdwin is, she's a bit old for me. I don't go for authority figures...at all."

He then eyed Victoria, "Secondly, I would appreciate it if you finished your sentence.

((Ahh, No worries!))

She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up as he spoke about authority figures. Her smile turned to a bit of a frown. Well, if he insists, she thought quietly to herself before speaking up. "It's nothing really. I just find it odd that the young, charming Professor Cerdwin is headmaster instead of the much more experienced Professor Lugaid. He is a brilliant Wizard and I could have sworn that it was going to be he that became the next Headmaster." Victoria trailed off, chewing on her lip more violently then before.

Victoria laughed, "it is silly really," she dismissed it. "I was just curious, that is all. I am sure there is a very logical reason why she is Headmistress."

Chad gave Victoria a look of surprise. He felt as if she had read his mind. "That's exactly why I'm sitting here! I want to figure out what is so special about her," he whispered to Victoria, leaning in so that he wouldn't be heard by anyone else. "If not Lugiad, then why not Weatherby? He must be Deputy Head for a reason...I just still find it so strange that someone so young would be Head over those two very experienced Wizards." Quickly he added, "Has nothing to do with the fact that she's a Witch...she's just so young..." He looked at the stone gargoyle hard, wishing that Cerdwin would come back out so that he could follow her and try to see what Lugaid and Weatherby must see in her.

His mind went back to Victoria and the fact that she had the same questions he had and enjoyed writing. "So...you're a writer?" he asked.

Victoria let out a silent sigh, glad he didn't chastise her. Or think she was odd for thinking such things. She nodded, "I'm not positive, but I am sure she is the youngest person to become the head of the school. It doesn't make sense," she trailed off, staring down at her hands.

She let out a laugh when he asked if she was a writer. "Not officially of course. I dabble here and there." She knew this was a lie, but wanted to play it down a little. He did not need to know that she wrote every chance she could get. "Mostly fiction, in all honesty," her head turned, embarrassed slightly. Victoria wasn't ashamed of her work, it was just that not many people took her seriously after she mentioned the fact that she wrote stories. Shrugging, "I'd like to write non-fiction. I've just never had the opportunity."

Victoria glanced at him, a smile forming on her face, "so, how about you? Do you write?"

Chad returned her smile. "You could say that..." he said, letting his voice trail off so that he could think of a way to bring up the paper. He didn't want to automatically trust just anyone, but he couldn't picture her letting the world know about it. "I've started a school paper..." he looked around to be sure that they weren't being over heard, "only, I don't want anyone outside of it to know who has anything to do with it. If the professors and Heads know, then they might try to regulate it...and I don't want that. Would you be interested in being a journalist for it? Possibly an investigative journalist if needed?"

Victoria grinned, "a secrete paper," she spoke under her breath. Her face brightened and she tapped her chin for a few minutes. Thinking this over. It would be excellent experience and it would be rather entertaining. She really couldn't see the downsides of joining, other then the fact that she'd have to lie to her friends. Deciding that she could live with that, she nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I think I will join this paper," she nodded even more. "Yeah, sounds like a good idea. We do have the right to know what is going on in our own school. Seriously, no one really knows what is going on other then the professors." She grinned at Chad, "so is that why you're here? Investigating? You really are stocking her aren't you? To find out what is going on." She laughed a bit before she realized how loud she was being, her eyes widened as her hands flew to her mouth, "sorry," she mumbled, blushing at her stupidity.

She leaned back against the bench, thinking about what she just signed herself up for. "So, tell me a bit more about this paper. I haven't heard a whisper about it."

((Olivander Shore is supposed to be a part of it, but he hasn't been around in ages. I'm not sure if he's plans on coming back or not.))


Chad cleared his throat several times, hoping that she would quiet down and was exceedingly glad that she did because people's attention was starting to be drawn toward them. "Well, thus far it is just me and a first year. He was sneaky enough to figure out what I was doing so I figured that he might hear some things around the school. I've just been scouting around for a while now, watching for possible journalists, reporters, and investigators...and, of course, stories."

He thumbed through his text book absentmindedly and said, "I'm hoping to get the first issue out on Monday."

Jacqueline packed away her astronomy books, she'd had enough class preparation for one day. As she finished up it occurred to her that she hadn't spoken to her friend Mavis in a while. Jacqueline had been there when Mavis and Lugaid had come to see the school with plans to re-open it. She couldn't be happier to be part of the staff. Locking the door to her office behind her, Jacqueline made her way to the stone gargoyle that guarded the office of her friend.

As she approached the gargoyle Jacqueline noticed two students hanging around the area. She wondered if they were a couple, they appeared to be well matched. She wasn't sure who they were but she could tell from their demeanor they were both Ravenclaw's. She smiled at them as she approached "Good day" she said sweetly and kept going towards the gargoyle. She muttered the password so that the students wouldn't hear it and the gargoyle swung aside.

"Hello Professor," Chad said, sitting up a bit straighter while in her sight. When she gave the password and was allowed to pass Chad looked over at Victoria with raised brows. "Would all of the professors be allowed to just entered the Headmistress' office whenever they want?" he wondered out loud. He didn't think it likely that a Head would be so careless about security. Someone being a professor at Hogwarts didn't immediately make them trustworthy in Chad's mind so he figured that the two must have a special relationship.

Mavis opened up one of her drawers and pulled out the Transfiguration homework that she had picked up earlier that day and had not yet had the time to grade. She picked up the first piece of parchment and began reading over how important safety was when it came to Transfiguration. She expected all of the papers to be basically the same, but gave higher grades for anything that had a little extra work put into it. When she was about halfway through the first paper she heard the sound of the gargoyle moving to let someone pass. Mavis smiled at the thought of a visitor and continued to read.

Victoria smiled and nodded to the professor, "and to you, Professor." She carefully watched as Professor Walker gave the password and entered the Headmistress' office. "They are friends, at least I think they are. I have seen them talking a time or two," she breathed quietly, not really paying attention to what Chad was asking.

"Are you trying to get the password to the Headmistress' office?" She glanced at Chad, "I assume you have some sort of idea? Professor Cerdwin hardly seemed as secretive when she went to her office." Victoria paused, "Well, I hope it isn't 'whenever they want.' I hope that our professors would have some decency and just barge into her office at anytime, if she is there or not. I assumed all professor's had the password to her office. I am sure she has called them or at least a good majority, up at one point or another to speak to them."

Jacqui made her way up the winding staircase smiling to herself at the two students she had just encountered. If they weren't a couple yet then they probably would be soon she thought. Young love, it was enough to warm the cockles of anyone's heart. She reached the top of the stairs and called out to Mavis "Mavis? Are you in?" Jacqui may have been privy to the password but she wouldn't just barge into the office at the same time. She had a lot of respect for Mavis both as the Headmistress and as her friend.

Mavis looked up from the paper she was reading and said, "Yes, Jacqui. Come on in!" She quickly finished up the last sentence of the assignment that she was reading and wrote down a grade on the top right hand corner so that she could document it later on. She set it aside in what was the beginning of her completed pile. "How has your day been thus far?" she asked as she look back up.

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and to you, Professor. They are friends, at least I think they are. I have seen them talking a time or two

Chad took note of Victoria's words and added a mental note to figure out what Cerdwin and Walker's relationship entailed.

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Are you trying to get the password to the Headmistress' office? I assume you have some sort of idea? Professor Cerdwin hardly seemed as secretive when she went to her office. Well, I hope it isn't 'whenever they want.' I hope that our professors would have some decency and just barge into her office at anytime, if she is there or not. I assumed all professor's had the password to her office. I am sure she has called them or at least a good majority, up at one point or another to speak to them.

"Yeah, I'm going to try a few things later on when I know she isn't in there, she wasn't too careful while saying it. I could kind of hear what she said," he replied. That fact in itself sort of bothered him, that their Head wasn't all that careful. "She seems far too trusting of the people around her. If History tells us anything, it's that you shouldn't trust just anyone...even close friends."

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How has your day been thus far?

Jacqui smiled at her friend. "Its been good, lots of class prep done, its all coming together quite nicely I must say. I thought it would be nice to have a chat with you, if you're not too busy that is?"

(sorry its so short, couldn't think of anything else to say at this point)

Victoria took in what he was saying, she frowned as he spoke of trust, shaking her head. "You are right, you do have to be careful with who you trust, but," she frowned looking away. "You have to have a little faith. I trust my friends with my life. The thought of one of them stabbing me in the back," she took a deep breath, "it, is horrible. How can one truly live like that? Never trusting anyone?"

Victoria stared at Chad, wondering why he was so skeptic about people. True, we lived in dark times, most people barely able to control their magic. We truly lived in a dark age, but it still did not mean there weren't good people. Good witches and wizards we can trust. He was suggesting that absolutely no one could be completely trusted. "I believe that most of the teachers here are good. True, they tell us very little about what is happening, but I truly believe that our professors are good people."

((That's alright, mine might not be very long either. Dunno yet. lol ))

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Its been good, lots of class prep done, its all coming together quite nicely I must say. I thought it would be nice to have a chat with you, if you're not too busy that is?

"Of course not! I am never too busy," Mavis smiled kindly.

"I have three days to grade these," she motioned to the pile of parchment before her, "so it isn't as daunting as it looks. Care for something to drink?" Mavis waved a hand and a beverage cart rolled toward them, stopping within reach.

Jacqui surveyed the beverage cart and chose some orange juice. She had always liked orange juice. "Why thank you!" she beamed at Mavis. "That is a daunting looking pile but I guess its not so bad when you can spread it out over a few days. Hard work this teaching thing but so worth it don't you think?" Jacqui took a sip of her juice.

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You are right, you do have to be careful with who you trust, but you have to have a little faith. I trust my friends with my life. The thought of one of them stabbing me in the back, it is horrible. How can one truly live like that? Never trusting anyone?

I believe that most of the teachers here are good. True, they tell us very little about what is happening, but I truly believe that our professors are good people.

Chad looked away from Victoria and down the hall at nothing in particular. He wasn't about to just automatically trust the professors there, they would have to earn that or at least not give him a reason to not trust them. "I'm not saying never trust anyone, one should just...not be so open. You have to have restrictions. You have to give yourself that life line in case you do trust the wrong person."

((Sorry, I'm mostly drawing a blank right now.))

((Not a problem. I understand. I apologize as well, I too am drawing a blank. ))

Chad Donovan wrote:

I'm not saying never trust anyone, one should just...not be so open. You have to have restrictions. You have to give yourself that life line in case you do trust the wrong person.

Victoria nodded, agreeing with this, she laughed at herself momentarily. She was the exact opposite of him. Where he was cautious and careful, she welcomed anyone with open arms. Questioning them later. He did have a good point, something that she would have to change about herself. She did tend to be too trusting in people.

"So," she sighed, playing with her fingers, "what do we do now?"

((I didn't give you much to work with, so don't worry about it.))

Chad looked back at Victoria and gave her an apologetic smile, "Wait..." he said. "Really, that's all we can do until something interesting happens. That something interesting doesn't always have anything to do with what one is hoping to see either. Waiting is just a part of investigative reporting. It can get real boring, but it does usually give you time to work on homework..."