The Great Hall

((Alright to the grounds first I guess, alright with you? we can meet the Thestrels))

((sounds fine. To the grounds then))

Professor Delanquar made her way into the Great Hall and seated herself next to the Headmistress's empty chair. Gratefully sipping her cup of tea, Eglantine brushed an imaginary piece of dust from her black robes and sighed.

Finn Flitwick, the resident Charms teacher, aproached the head table and sat down on his usual spot. He greeted the other staff members that were present before starting on his breakfast.

"Good morning, Professor." Eglantine greeted softly, her gaze not lifting from the depths of her tea cup.

Finn turned his head and nodded. "Good morning, professor DeLanquar. How are you this morning?" he asked, turning his attention back to his plate. No breakfast was complete without some good ol' beacon and eggs!

"A bit tired. And yourself?" She took a muffin from a nearby platter and attempted cut it in two with her knife, but dropped it. The muffin rolled under the table and she silently cursed her hands.

"Nothing I can complain about," Finn replied calmly, merely raising an eyebrow when she dropped the muffin, but wisely choosing not to say anything.

"That is good." Eglantine replied, ignoring the muffin somewhere under the table and reaching for another one. "Are you enjoying your classes?" she asked, carefully cutting the muffin without dropping it.

"In general, yes," Finn replied, reaching out and picking up his cup of coffee, taking a small zip from the warm liquid. "But there are always certain students who enjoy being a pain in my ars--uh, I mean my back."

"Indeed." Eglantine heartily agreed, glancing over at him for the first time. He seemed like a person she could actual hold a cordial conversation with; which was refreshing after her many verbal spars with the head of Slytherin. "My Muggle Studies classes almost always far apart thanks to certain students."

"Hm, yes, and even a month of detention doesn't seem to discourage their crusade to annoy us," Finn agreed with a nod. "However, we shouldn't surrender ourselves. If not for our own sake, then for the students that are actually worth our time and effort."

"My thoughts exactly!" Eglantine smiled. "The students obviously desire to learn. Their house and family seem to be holding them back though. At times I question why we have the separate houses. Perhaps there would be less animosity."

"Unfortunatly our ministry seems a bit stiff about maintaining traditions," Finn replied, looking thoughtful for a moment. "It's foolishness, really. Man can only survive by adapting and growing. Sometimes that means dicarding things that have become too troublesome or obsolete."

(I have to go now. I'll be back later today.)

((very well.))

"At times. But tradition can be a very good thing as well." Eglantine sipped her tea and sighed. "Unfortunately the Houses of Hogwarts probably never were a good tradition."

"It was probably the founders' ignorance or arrogance that resulted in their decision to split the students up like that," Finn commented.

Marie slowly walked into the Great Hall and seated herself with the other Gryffindors. She helped herself to a slice of toast, took a sip of her pumpkin juice and after a quick glance around the room, she engaged herself in deep conversation with the other girls sat around her.

"Indeed." Eglantine finished her tea and glanced over at the kettle which sat closer to the Charms professor than herself. "Would you pass the tea, please?"

Finn picked up the kettle with one hand and handed it to Eglantine. "Here you go."

"Thank you." she took the kettle and tipped it to refill her cup. Her shaking hands made this simple action difficult however and she ended up splashing a great deal of tea on her lap and the table.
Paling from embarrassment, Eglantine cleaned up the tea with a simple charm and sighed as she pushed the tea kettle away from her. "Were you ever a student here?" she asked, hoping he would ignore her actions.

"Of course," Finn replied, simply ignoring what just happened simply because it was not his place to ask. "Ravenclaw house, just like most of my family. And yourself?"

Mark Farland, seventh year Ravenclaw, entered the Great Hall while stiffling a yawn. He sat down at his house table, greeting his nearest house mates, and started piling some food onto his plate.

"I never attended Hogwarts. My parents travelled." Sipping her tea, she allowed her eyes to wander to where the students sat, in their own worlds. "It looks like it is going a lovely day."

"Teenagers are rarely morning people," Finn commented.

"Which is unfortunate due to morning classes. Thankfully today is Saturday. I believe a trip to Hogsmeade is planned along with a duel between the Headmistress and Professor Viper." She set the cup down and took a bite of her muffin.

Viper entered the Great Hall with an annoyed look. She sat down beside Eglantine and crossed on her legs on the chair, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, all the while conjuring a bottle of red wine and her custom goblet.