A Curious Sound

[Monty Pendleton]

The only thing Monty disliked about Professor Tuuri was the location of his office. The Potions Professor liked to scoff at Arvo's attempts to blame the many stairs between them for his lack of visiting, but this was mostly in jest, because even at fourty-two Monty found them a physical struggle. This frequent reminder of his age alone was reason enough for him to begin resenting the climb. It was good exercise, certainly, but that was about all that could be said in its favour.

When the pair had talked themselves dry, and to have consumed any more of Kata's cupcakes would have put either one of them at immediate risk of heart failure, Monty finally said goodbye and quitted the small office on the sixth floor. He didn't often see this part of the castle; there was rarely any requirement for him to ascend further than the corridor on which the library was situated; and so he paused by a tall window to admire this unfamiliar and brilliant view over the grounds. It was raining, and a light drizzle and misty grey haze somewhat obscured his sight, but he found beauty in it anyway. As he turned finally to go back down the stairs, a curious sound halted him in his tracks. The song that he had momentarily thought familiar, upon further listening, quickly revealed itself to be the very one Monty had written to assist in his students' studying. But the voice in question was not familiar, and only by some miracle of mankind could have belonged to any of the students he'd sung it to. Unsure as to whether he should feel proud or embarrassed, Monty turned in pursuit of the noise, which, by now, had grown quite loud, his endeavour eventually leading him to a boy he knew only to be a prefect. "Hello," Monty said hesitantly, as he caught up with him. "Say, where did you hear that song?"

 

[Avie Mitchell]

Avie didn't have much to do when it was raining, after all, when it was raining down like it with the mist he knew couldn't go swimming, after all the visibility in the water would just be exceedingly poor, so collecting new rocks was out the window, so he had to do something else to fill his time, and so the boy was just doing what ever he could. He had decided to just do something fun, which had resulted in him being outside the brotherhood, having forgotten the password, with the book that Esme had gotten him open beside him, he'd been trying to read it while sitting outside the room waiting for one of the other brothers to let him in but it hadn't gone that well, Avie had managed a few lines here and there and essentially just grown bored, so instead of continuing that Avie had put Rockie down in front of him as he lay on his stomach using his rocks to colour in a design he'd drawn on the ground using one of the sharper rocks that he had in his pocket. As he did this, Avie began singing to himself, not quietly either, but just singing as he worked.

It was only when he heard a much older voice speaking next to him that Avie stopped what he was doing, and looked up, not even vaguely aware that what he was doing was wrong, he knew that a little bit of water or magic would likely clean it away, not his but definitely someone else. He knew the man, the potions professor where he'd heard the song, Avie who had a lot of trouble in school learning and understanding had over heard the song during one of his free periods and after singing it along quietly it had just stuck in his head and it was the only way he remembered any of the ingredients when it came to potions, he didn't know how to spell it or what each one actually looked like, but he enjoyed the song and it was more than he had ever remembered when he'd been learning the stuff for potions, "I overheard it when wandering the dungeons, you should know it, you were the one singing it," Avie told him, his expression a little confused because how else would he have heard the song other than from this man. Avie took this occasion to sit up a little more and just look up at the man, "Do you not remember writing it? I forget stuff all the time, but the song is catchy and good so you'll learn it again in no time," he said, before beginning the song again, clearly trying to both show the man the song and remind him of it.
​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Now that Monty was standing beside the boy, he could see what he was doing, but did not move except to raise an eyebrow. He'd heard a little of Avie Mitchell - enough to know better than to keep him from harmless enjoyment. It wasn't as if wizards weren't capable of erasing vandalism with a flick of their wand. When it came to light how he'd come to learn the song, Monty blushed and moved to sit on the nearest windowsill beside Avie. Of course, he'd known all along that to memorise a song was a great deal easier than to memorise a lecture, and he didn't doubt that his self-inflicted embarrassment had assisted at least a handful of students in their exams. But since nobody had ever explicitly told him so, he'd scarcely stopped to think that anyone might actually have benefited from it; and the unexpected proof that it had touched him so that as a modest man he wasn't sure how to respond. In the end, he chuckled shyly, and said, "Yes, yes, I remember, thank you. That's very kind; I'm pleased you like it." The Potions Professor had been seriously contemplating forgetting the song and returning to more traditional lecture-teaching techniques - on more than one occasion he'd been almost the only one in the room singing - but now he wasn't so sure.

Curious, Monty leaned forward for a closer examination of Avie's artwork. "That's very good," he said sincerely, because any creative expression, so long as legal, was wonderful in Monty's eye. Looking at the stone in the prefect's hand, he added, surprised, "Did you draw all of it with rocks?" Not only was that expressive, but it was also quite clever. And probably against the school rules. But given that there wasn't a precise rule not to draw on the stone floor with rocks, Monty wasn't of the mind to reproach him.

 

[Avie Mitchell]

Avie stopped his singing when the professor indicated that he remembered the song, and still of course knew it, but it Avie would've happily helped him sing the song. The child-like smile which sat on Avie's face met with the older man who had sat down on the window sill "What's not to like?!" he asked in a clearly trying to figure out why anyone would dislike the song, perhaps it was like with Esme and Lucien and the fact he tried to refrain from hugging them both in front of others because he knew they would be embarrassed by it, of course he'd spotted them both doing disgusting things with their partners and that was definitely worse than a hug, but since they were such good friends to him, with Lucien being his best friend in the whole entire world, and Esme being that close second, he did his best to respect them, "I love the song, I actually remember it and the things it talks about, potions is really frustrating for me," the boy told him, still speaking with his usual smile, "I'm not very good at reading, but Professsor Phillips helps me a lot! Now I can read some sentences now without any help!" the boy assured him brightly.

Avie was leaning away from his scratches on the ground and he hadn't thought to hide them, the prefect was sure it wasn't a bad thing and he had never been given into trouble before for it, though maybe that was what the man was leading up to. Avie just turned round slightly and grabbed the animated rock that had hidden behind him and let it sit near the design, the question then asked surprised him, aside from Lucien going rock collecting with him occasionally or really Lucien looked at the shore line while Avie Sean capable of doing it for hours without wanting to stop. So someone actually a little interested made Avie jump up, "Yeah! I collect all the rocks I can, a lot of them are from the lake," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of them, "This one is really sharp so you can draw with it," he told him exciting putting the rock in the professors hand, "But you can just use any to colour in," he informed her with an easy grin, clearly very eager and excited to talk about his rocks.
​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty's heart swelled with pride. To know that he had been of such help to a student he didn't even know beyond his name was incredibly warming. Come to think of it, there weren't very many things that surpassed this in the happiness it brought him. With a new-found respect for his colleague, Jon, the Potions Professor gave an affectionate smile and said, "That's wonderful, Avie. You should be tremendously proud of yourself. And you know, if I can offer you any further assistance in Potions, it would be my pleasure to oblige." Whilst Professor Snow was the teacher of Potions at Avie's age, Monty was happy to lend a hand with the older students when he could: his position of years one to four was not a reflection on his capability to teach at an OWL and NEWT level.

Monty startled as the boy jumped up, holding his hand out instinctively to take the offered rock. He might have frowned if he'd for one moment thought Avie was alluding to the bottom of the lake, rather than the edge of it; but he didn't, and so he laughed brightly, shifting to the floor and crouching beside the drawing. "I am going to get into so much trouble for this," he said as he started to draw, a youthful sort of excitement in his voice. When he stood to admire his work, the declaration 'Professor Pendleton Was Here' looked proudly up at him from his feet. In case Avie couldn't read it (Monty wasn't familiar with his capabilities), he read it out, looking perfectly dignified and professional as he handed the rock back to its owner. "Just in case Professor Tuuri tries to tell me I never come and visit him, eh?" Monty looked at Avie's drawing again, still quite impressed by his creativity. "You must have quite the rock collection. Do you have a favourite?"

 

[Avie Mitchell]

Avie couldn't help but feel proud when the professor said he should be, Avie was always proud when people praised him, since he so rarely really got it, the smile he gave the man at the compliment glowed from the pride from the praise, although it falter slightly when the man continued, and Avie scratched the back of his head before just shaking his head, "It's okay! I don't think I'm going to be allowed to take it again this year and I don't understand the instructions so I'm happy to just do muggle studies, Professor Phillips doesn't mind explaining things to me more slowly," he told the man, the boy was pretty much only down to muggle studies and that was all he enjoyed in school so he wasn't complaining too much about it, the man whom he knew was Lucien's brother but he didn't particularly like the man, so this worked out fine for him, but Avie appreciated the offer from the professor even though this man had never actually taught him, and he knew that if this man probably did teach him that much like the old astronomy professor he would get annoyed and not want to do it any more, but the boy wouldn't say such a thing, he had the help and Lucien and Esme didn't mind helping him, nor did the muggle studies professor.

"I got Esme and Lucien, Esme me got me that book and she reads it to me sometimes," he told the many trying to assure him he had all the help he could get, that he didn't need any more though he appreciated the man's offer. The last thing he expected was the man who took the rock and then wrote beside Avie's drawing and was glad when the man then read out what he said which Avie had to be grateful for since he didn't much want to have to focus and read it and then mentioned a professor Avie didn't know, "What does he teach?" the boy asked a little curious about it and then considering that the man was asking about his rock collection and Avie couldn't help but nod excited launching right into what was his favourite, he of course didn't have one favourite but many, "I have Rockie of course, but he's my best friend after Lucien and Esme, so he doesn't count," the boy assured the older man before diving his hand into his pocket, one of his other pockets and pulling out one of his favourite rocks which he'd gotten from deep within the lake, "Lucien got me this amazing rock for christmas a few years back, but it's so lovely I don't carry it around, and this one is probably my favourite which I have on me," he told the man holding it out to him, "I got it from the deep parts of the lake, a MERMAID showed me where they were," the boy said with an exceedingly bright smile as he told him that he had met a mermaid which Avie considered to be the most amazing thing ever.
​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty smiled, as if to assure Avie he would not be pressed into further tuition. Really, he was pleased the boy was receiving help both from Professor Phillips and from his friends; so long as he was supported and happy, there was no requirement for change. "Arithmancy," Monty told him, gesturing to a door a little way down the corridor. Then he leaned in confidentially to add, "Lovely man, but a terrible, terrible influence. One of these days he'll put such an extraordinary shade of hair dye in his wife's shampoo, he'll be drinking the cupcakes she bakes him blended through a straw." Monty chuckled as he recalled vividly Kata's expression upon confronting Arvo for the vomit-green offence.

But he was digressing. He watched fondly as Avie launched into an excited explanation as to who had given him which rock, why, and where it had come from. He couldn't really keep up, but he assumed his countenance as though understanding perfectly, looking at the rock Avie produced with intrigue only three-quarters genuine. It was a very nice rock, but its qualities were so distinctly rock-ish that Monty couldn't tell it apart from the rest. "Sorry?" said Monty, thinking he couldn't possibly have heard correctly. "A mermaid? Well, I never." He took the rock and turned it over a few times in the grey light before handing it back. "That's a very special one, then; I hope you take good care of it. Do, er, do many of your rocks come from the bottom of the lake?"

 

[Avie Mitchell]

Avie didn't know what Arithmancy was or anything about who the professor was or really understand why he'd be drinking through a straw, that sounded like a little strange, "Would it be a fancy straw?" he asked the man, "Because surely that's not a bad thing," the boy commented but he left it at that, a terrible influence was a bad influence but he didn't entirely understand that, people had told him Lucien and Esme were bad, but he didn't think so, even got upset and annoyed when he heard that, just not understanding at all, after all they were both the kindest people to him ever. But that didn't matter to him, the boy was far more interested in showing the man his rocks than talking about those who were technically bad influences upon him, and he held the rocks to him, although the rocks to all look the same to most, for Avie they were all unique and he could tell each one from the other, it was why he had several different sections of his dorm dedicated to the different rocks that he had, with the nicest rocks on display on his shelf and the rest either in his pockets or the box he had.

Although Avie nodded at him, "A MERMAID!" he repeated with the same awe that he had in his tone when he had first started talking about the mermaid he'd met just after it had happened, he had never been able to get over the fact that he had actually met a mermaid, "The creature was beautiful, the mermaid showed me the most amazing rocks," the boy told the professor with a large, bright smile, unable to even remotely hide his joy over that fact, he was one of the few to have ever seen a mermaid. Avie nodded at the man, with the child-like expression of assurance that he would take excellent care of the rock, and he was definitely going to take excellent care of it, take it with him where ever he went, "Yeah, the bottom of the lake has the best rocks! That's where the best rocks are!" Avie was adamant that he was careful when he went diving and he nodded so happily at his own words, the best rocks were at the very bottom of the lake. The boy held out the rocks to the old to the man before picking out one careful, "This was the one the mermaid gave to me," he held it out putting the rest in his pocket, "You should have it!"
​

 

[Ava King]

The last 9 months of Ava's pregnancy had gone incredibly slow. The headmistess did not remember her other pregnancies taking that long, but it was as if Tobias took his time. She was a lot younger when she had Riley and Braxton and perhaps didn't enjoy the pregnancy as much this time because of her age, Ava often still felt like a child but her body was beginning to tell her otherwise. Still, Ava was absolutely smitten with her new little boy. She was just happy she didn't have to carry him anymore, she was free to do all the things again that she wasn't able to in the last year. Which is why, the Headmistress was now trotting around the school in her Labrador form. Being a dog was so freeing and Ava had missed it; she galloped up the stairs, having a lot more energy and ability in this form. She weaved through student's body's and legs, she wasn't sure what floor she was on by now but she noticed a familiar face. Ava trotted up to the two, and sat next to the boy named Avie Mitchell, looking at the scratches made on the floor.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty opened his mouth and then promptly closed it again. He couldn't really explain again, so instead of trying, he said, "Yes, yes I suppose you're right." Even if he'd wanted to further elaborate, he was robbed of the chance when Avie began again with his excited chattering. Monty laughed, his fears for the boy's safety for the time being quietened; it seemed a shame to put a damper on his spirits. He watched him choose a particular rock - the one Monty had deemed indistinguishable from the rest - and hold it out towards him. He was... giving him one of his favourite rocks? All right, it was only a rock, but the sentimental value Avie had obviously attached to it made the Potions Professor feel honoured. He took it and smiled. "Thank you, Avie. It will be safe with me - you have my word." And he did. Monty would never have thrown away something given to him by a student.

The padding of paws and clicking of nails against stone drew his eyes suddenly to the large labrador approaching. A grin lit his face, until he remembered what he'd drawn on the floor, at which point it was swiftly wiped away. Monty cleared his throat as the dog sat down and began to examine the markings. "Yes, look, would you believe it? There was a Professor Pendleton in this castle before me!" he said, as if surprised, rather conspicuously pocketing the stone he just so happened to be holding.

 

[Avie Mitchell]

Avie found rock collecting to be the most fun that he could have, other than perhaps throwing them, and Avie placed a lot of importance upon rocks that were his, that he had collected but he hand a gone handful of favourite rocks which was why he felt comfortable giving this man one of the favourite rocks that he had on him at that current moment. Although he liked this professor a lot despite never being taught by him, he liked Professor Styx and Professor Phillips more but this man's song had kept Avie endlessly entertained, he just lacked anything better to present to the man and to Avie there was little of more importance than the rocks he collected. It was why only the people he liked got the good ones, and the rest got them thrown at them, because throwing them was just as fun for Avie and not fun for them. Avie just smiled easily at the man as he assured him that he'd look after the rock, which warmed Avie knowing the professor actually cared enough, he was still trying to get Professor Styx to accept a gift from him, his hug to the man hadn't quite as well as Avie had liked to say.

However at that moment he felt the dog and then looked to it, and Avie'snface erupted into the widest possible smile that it could, unadulterated joy passed upon his face, he didn't know that dogs were allowed at Hogwarts, if he had known that Avie would've brought his own dog with him, his mother had always said that he couldn't bring Casper, his former dog with him. The dog had been fundamental during the break after his mother had died, his rock companion, and Avie loved dogs almost as much as he loved his rocks. He ignored the man, and knelt to the dog's level ruffling the dog's fur and smiling joyfully at it, "Hey buddy," he muttered to the dog, bringinghis face close to the dog's as he muttered it, "Is he your dog?" the boy asked with a surprised expression towards the man, if it was he was going to have to visit the man more often.
​

 

[Ava King]

If dogs could glare or roll their eyes, Ava would definitely be doing that towards Monty's comment about a Professor Pendleton being at the school before hand. As long as it was cleaned up afterwards, Ava didn't mind the fact that he had done it. In fact, it wasn't even anything that bad, but she couldn't exactly let a Professor's name stay engraved in the ground. As the young boy knelt down to her level, Ava showed her joy by wagging her dog's tail, making sure her face was as happy as it could be. However, when Avie asked Monty if he was Monty's dog, Ava barked. She was not a he! And did not belong to Monty!

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Being quite allergic to cats, and mildly so to all other creatures furry or feathered, Monty's opinion on animals had been negatively influenced from a very young age. That did not, however, mean he couldn't appreciate the delight they brought to others. He watched, showing not even the faintest hint of sympathy, as Avie began enthusiastically petting the labrador. Ava seemed pleased enough at this affectionate display, though less so at being referred to as a he. Monty laughed, quickly deciding it was worth the later repercussions, and said cheerfully, "Oh, no; he's not mine. He seems to like you, though." With a wave of his wand, Monty cleaned the markings he'd made in the stone - partly because he knew he ought to anyway, but mostly because he couldn't have met Ava's doggy gaze without giggling.

 

[Avie Mitchell]

When the dog barked at his use of the word he, Avie couldn't help the laugh which escaped his lips, and he stroked the dog's fur in an apology, "Sorry doggie, she!" he muttered softly to the dog, though he'd just met the creature Avie's voice was laced with love for it. He glanced expectantly up at the professor who said that it wasn't his and the teen was confused who did the dog belong to? Avie felt a deep desire to know this so that he could come visit the dog whenever he wanted, surely the professor who owned the dog wouldn't mind, but those thoughts were stopped dead when the professor said that the dog liked him, "Really?!" he sounded amazed and the boy just ran his fingers through the dog's soft fur the look of such pure unadulterated joy over this revelation that the dog liked him, Avie was beaming from ear to ear, the child like smile which easily reached his eyes, the simple statement meant so much to the boy who hadn't in a long while been told that someone liked him, he hadn't really heard it since the holidays with his mother and he couldn't hold it together.

Avie just hugged the dog, wrapping his arms around the fluffy creature lightly so as not harm him, using this motion to help stop himself from crying, Avie loved animals, they loved to play with him, they were always kind to him, and this dog reminded him so much of his old dog, and to know that this dog liked him after two minutes meant that his old dog had to have liked him, which brought Avie such simple pleasure. The boy pulled out of the hug from the dog and just stared at the dog happily, "I live in Slytherin dorms, you should visit me ALL the time, I'm sure Lucien won't mind," he leaned away from the dog thinking that it probably wanted to move on with it's searching and other than the rocks he had nothing for the doggie to fetch.
​

 

[Ava King]

Monty was going to pay for his comment, there was no doubt about that. He knew very well it was Ava, and that she was not a he, and she knew that he was avoiding eye contact on purpose. At least Avie had the right idea, as he corrected himself. Ava barked again, though it was a happier tone. She did like the boy so at least that comment of Monty's rang true. If doggy Ava could laugh, she would have at Avie's comment about visiting him. Taking a step back, Ava bowed her two front legs down before bounding away, taking care to jump on Monty's legs as she passed him.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

"Of course!" said Monty earnestly, somewhat taken aback by the surprise in Avie's tone. Never having prior to this encounter spoken to Ava of the Slytherin Prefect, Monty could not say with absolute certainty that the Headmistress was fond of the boy; but really, what human in possession of a beating heart could not be? There was nothing about him not inspiring of affection. "Oof," muttered the Potions Professor beneath his breath as Ava took it upon herself to jump on him as he passed, but he was laughing as he watched her bound away, knowing it was the least he deserved for his cheek. Then he looked at Avie again, and said decisively, "Well, I had really best be getting on now, too. It was nice to speak to you - and thank you very much once again for my rock. If you ever find yourself within the vicinity of the dungeons, it would be my pleasure to see you again." Leaving Avie with this open invitation, he said goodbye, adding as a final parting remark, "Take care!"