Open Finally Getting to See

[Louis Alcott]

Louis couldn't quite believe he was back here at Hogwarts, as a teacher no less. It wasn't really the career he had envisioned for himself, but it was kind of nice to be back too. Strange, to eat at the same table as his old professors. He still felt like one of the kids, if he was honest. But being a professor came with some privileges, and Louis was eager to see what he had missed out on as a student. The restricted section of the library had always fascinated him, though he had never really taken his studies seriously enough to be allowed access. But now he could look. On one of the early days in the semester, the library was pretty empty. Louis knew he was fully allowed in here now, but he did feel a little like he was breaking the rules as he headed into the restricted section. He looked around, wondering if these books were really as dangerous as he had been told or if this was just the old people being overly cautious. He hesitated, then reached for a book.

 

[Professor Yvonne Dubois]

Yvonne often overlooked the resource that was the school library, especially the restricted section. Her mother had written her recently seeking advice about a nearly forgotten method of hemotomancy that had required her to brush up on the subject. Unsurprisingly, the information on blood divination would be kept behind a lock and key to keep over eager students from getting any ideas. But it was a chore she took on willingly. Before coming to Hogwarts she had been the shop's divination expert, always reading and researching. Leaving had shoved a wedge between her and her mother that they tried to dance around for year but this letter was a sign that the bridge she had unintentionally burned over ten years ago might finally be mending.

She walked into the restricted section with a few books tucked under her arm and stopped in her tracks when she saw a boy reaching for a book with no chaperone in sight. "Excuse me." Yvonne said sharply before realizing he wasn't a student, at least not currently. "Oh sorry, I thought you were a student." she said with a laugh feeling a little embarrassed but who could blame her? Sure Louis was a professor now but she could still remember when his class was sorted. It had been her first sorting ceremony so there was reason to remember it but that wasn't the point.

 

[Louis Alcott]

Louis jumped when he heard a teacher voice, feeling like he got caught doing something he shouldn't do. He looked over at the woman who spoke, eyes wide. He relaxed little when she said she had she had mistaken him for a student. He decided to take it as a compliment. "Oh, easy mistake." He joked, still feeling a little nervous. "I was a student a few years ago." He was pretty sure this Professor had already been working here then, but he had never taken her class. He held out his hand. "I'm Louis Alcott."

 

[Professor Yvonne Dubois]

Yvonne smirked. "I know who you are Professor Alcott." she said smugly, really drawing out the word professor before his surname. "I remember you." she added mysteriously and hoped her position as a divination professor would help sell it. In truth she just had a good memory for former students even ones who didn't take her class. He had been captain and a prefect and now a coworker, not to mention related to the headmaster, but he didn't need to know that. Especially how that last title made her feel ancient. "Find anything....interesting?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, still teasing him lightly.

 

[Louis Alcott]

Louis laughed a little nervously as the professor said she knew who he was and that she remembered him. She sounded a little creepy, and Louis' mind scrambled to remember if he had ever gotten in trouble with her before. He also wondered if her emphasis on the word 'professor' meant she didn't think he had gotten the position fairly. It was something he wondered about himself. He felt like an impostor half the time. He fidgeted nervously with his sleeve, trying not to let it show on his face that she was getting to him. "Not really," he said with a small laugh. "Even forbidden books are just... books, I guess." He didn't want to tell her he hadn't really had the chance to look properly yet.

 

[Professor Yvonne Dubois]

Yvonne did her best to keep from grinning too widely at the young man as she watched the wheels spin in his head. She had wanted to watch him squirm a bit but she felt a pang of sympathy when he seemed genuinely unsettled. She knew what it was like to start teaching with no experience, at least with the teaching part. She carefully re-shelved the books she had borrowed and laughed at his answer. "That they are." she said with an agreeable sigh. She walked closer and leaned against one of the shelves. "Is there anything else you're finding less thrilling than you expected as a professor?"

 

[Louis Alcott]

Louis hesitated at the professor's question, though he appreciated that she stopped being mysterious and cryptic. He was't sure how much about his insecurities to reveal, he could hardly tell her he felt like an impostor. "It's... just a little overwhelming, it's not bad, but there's a lot of kids in flying class." He said after a moment. "So far I am just trying to manage them."

 

[Professor Yvonne Dubois]

Yvonne chuckled. "I can imagine it's quite a chore keeping all of them in line, and on their brooms." she said with a grin. She didn't envy Louis in that regard one bit. She was once again grateful her subject was a bit more specialized, not to mention she only taught older students. Prepping for the OWL's and NEWT's was it's own challenge but a very different one. "I guess I'm lucky no one is likely to get seriously injured reading palms." she added playfully.