New Charms Buddies

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha had liked working with Robert, but the man had moved on to better pastures and instead there was a new woman in the charms area. He had noted from what he’d seen of her was that she was quite young, he hoped that the kids wouldn’t take too much advantage of that. It had been a while since he’d taught the youngsters and he couldn’t imagine they would be like that. The man had however known it would be good to come to greet her and welcome her to the school and to charms, so he’d made a cup of tea and a cup of coffee and was going to offer her some. He approached her office, which was next to his and smiled at the slightly ajar door and he could see her inside, ”Hello! I come bearing warm greetings and a peace offering?” he held up the cups but didn’t go in just yet, it would be impolite to just walk in without prompting. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory was slowly settling into her role around here. The children were... Well, children, most annoyed by classes or uninterested, but Mallory had expected that. The other staff seemed friendly, as her visitor from earlier had shown.

Decorating her office to make it feel like home helped settle her nerves. She had a dark oak desk, lady slipper orchids in two hanging potted plants on each end of her desk, and Russian Sage in a planter box along the edge of her desk. She had a large, rich brown leather chair behind her desk and a matching leather sofa dotted with soft throw pillows and a lilac blanket folded over the back of it.

The wall to the left and right were bookshelves, overflowing with Mallory's personal book collection. And behind her desk were pictures of her home, her family. The main piece, the biggest picture, was one of her entire family, her parents sat on the couch with her, her brother, and her sister standing perfectly dressed behind them. She knew it looked fake, they were all perfectly posed, perfectly painted, but it was the only picture she had of her brother and she missed him dearly.

She was browsing her books, her hair down in a loose braid, when she heard a voice. She looked up, noting an older man with a few cups. That was Professor Haden, wasn't it? "Oh, hello. Do come in," Mallory smiled shyly.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha walked in holding the two drinks and smile, ”Misha’s just fine, that’s what I ask the kids to call me. You’re Mallory, or Professor Corrins right?” he said. He noticed that the office was a little different from how Robert had it, it had a little more of a feminie touch which he thought was nice. ”I like what you’ve done with the place.” Misha held out the two drinks and smiled, ”I don’t know what you prefer so I made a tea and a coffee,” he was holding them to let her decide which she wanted, he had raised each in turn with what they were so she would know which was which. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled softly. "Mallory, or Mal if you prefer," she offered a little shyly, hoping her Russian accent wasn't too strong. She had been away from home for several years, really, but she found she had never been able to shake the tint to her words. She blushed as he complimented her office. "Thank you, I like to think it's cozy," she gestured over to the couch, taking the tea with a shy smile. "Thank you again, Misha, would you like to sit?" She asked, feeling shy but trying to be friendly.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha nodded in understanding, he was sure on her words he heard something familiar, an accent that his daughter too had once had, though she’d mostly lost it. He was somewhat pleased that she took the tea and he was able to keep the coffee. He took a small sip of it and then nodded, ”Sure, how are you finding things?” he asked, ”I’m obviously just next door so if you need something just come knocking,” he told her. The only person he had consistently was his daughter and he’d soon once again not have that so he knew he’d appreciate other company. ”So where did you go to school? It wasn’t here, I’ve been teaching long enough that I’d remember,”​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled a little shyly, taking a seat on the couch and tucking her feet beneath her. "It's been quite an experience. I've never been anywhere with so many people," she mused, both hands wrapped around her tea. "It can be quite chaotic." She noted, sipping the liquid and smiling at its warmth. She did enjoy a good cup of tea. "Thank you, I do appreciate that," she smiled a little less shyly, relaxing more into the couch. "Oh, I was taught at home by private tutors with my brother and sister," she replied. "Have you been teaching for a long while then?" She asked, looking to him with curious eyes.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha smiled back at her and nodded, Hogwarts was a little overwhelming at first, but it would be even more so with someone who’d never had a formal education at a school. ”That must’ve been fun,” he said to her with a tone that he really did think that. The question made him pause and then laugh, ”I’ve been teaching a while, it’s what I always wanted to do really. I took a brief sabbatical at one point and did some work with experimental charms but aside from that I’ve been pretty solidly here,” he told her. He didn’t really want to count how many years it had been, but it had been a long while. He was quite happy with it. ”I went to Durmstrang, and the differences between schools is quite vast, there is an entirely different atmosphere there,” he knew in the years since he’d come to New Zealand he had lost whatever accent he had had before but his observations for him about how things had been back then still held true. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory chuckled at his words, cradling her tea. "Oh, very much so," she replied, wrinkling her nose at him and giggling. She smiled at his words. "I am glad you're working where you want," she told him, sipping her drink. "I have heard about Durmstrung, do you prefer this atmosphere to the other?" she asked, curious. "I grew up in Russia, and I much prefer the atmosphere here to the one I was accustomed to, it is much warmer here," she didn't mention that it wasn't just weather that was warmer.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha gave a little nod and then shrugged, ”The two are difficult to compare,” he told her, ”They are different schools, in two very different places with very different ethos.” Misha said with a small smile. ”Russia has a harshness to it,” he replied in russian, it was clear he’d likely once been fluent, but it was more accented and he wasn’t as sure of it. Truly it had been a while since he’d practiced russian. Even with his daughter they stuck to english because Cyzarine had needed the english help not the russian help. ”Where in russia are you from?”​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory nodded, sipping her tea and listening. Her eyes widened, though, when her fellow Professor started speaking to her in Russian. She couldn't help the delighted smile the spread across her face. "My siblings and I grew up in an estate in Moscow," she told him, chattering brightly. "I didn't leave the city until I was 18." She smiled, sipping her tea. "Your Russian is very good, where did you learn?" She asked.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha smiled at her, seeing her surprise at his Russian. He nodded, and then shrugged, ”You are kind, but my russian is not great anymore.” he switched back to english, ”My mother’s family were russian, so my siblings and I were raised on it,” he told Mallory. ”I also lived in Russia and travelled around a bit just after I graduated school before I moved here. I’ve been back a few times,” he told her. He didn’t really speak it often now, since there was no need to. His family were a bit all over the place and he was the only one of them to live on this side of the world. ”Why New Zealand, was it the job?”​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled, giggling lightly as he went back to English. She listened as he spoke, drinking her tea. "Oh, my cousin," she replied, before shutting her eyes and chuckling. "I mean, I have family in Arrowtown. I left Russia to meet them, I got a job as a receptionist at the family Inn. She was the one that encouraged me to get a job here." she sipped her tea. "Apparently, I am very nurturing and good with children." she rolled her eyes a little, offering him a sheepish smile. "What about you? What brought you here?"

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha nodded as she explained what had brought her here to New Zealand from Russia. He thought it was interesting that she had moved before she’d taken a job here. He didn’t think anyone had told him he was nurturing with children, but he didn’t think one needed to be really..maybe more so with the younger kids. ”The job,” Misha said, ”I left Durmstrang, did some advanced charms work at the ministry in Poland, while also learning how to be a teacher, and this job here came up eventually so applied,” he told her, ”It’s been rewarding,” he added, ”I briefly taught all the years, but I’m glad to be back only teaching the older kids. Far easier to manage,”​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory nodded, sipping her tea- or at least, moving to sip her tea. She blinked a little, surprised to find her cup was empty. She smiled, setting it down on the end table behind her before turning back to Misha. "It seems like a good job." Mallory tucked her hair behind her ear. "I used to tutor my siblings, this seems a little similar," Mallory giggled a little. "My brother never did an assignment until the last minute. He was smart, he just didn't want to. And my sister, she struggled more with her school, but she was a perfectionist and always wanted the best grades." She chuckled, shaking her head.

 

[Professor Misha Haden]

Misha nodded, ”It has good days and bad days, good students and not so good students,” he told her. He nodded as explained that she’d tutored her siblings. He couldn’t imagine that would be much fun, ”I used to sometimes help out with first year charms classes in my sixth and seventh year at durmstrang, but I would’ve rather be on the end of a stinging hex than help my siblings with their lessons,” he joked lightly. He had been older by a bit so it wouldn’t have mattered any way. He knew that they would’ve been insufferable, so if Mallory could handle her siblings she’d be able to handle a class. ”If you ever have any issues or just want a chat, I’m right next door, so feel free to come round. I do get how overwhelming this can be,” he was nearly finished his coffee and was sure she had things she wanted to be getting on with, he hardly wanted to keep her much longer. ​

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory chuckled. She knew tutoring siblings wasn't for everyone. "My siblings and I were always rather close. We had our fights, but we never really had much outside of each other." She smiled softly, moving a pillow into her lap. Her smile widened when he said she could pop in whenever. "Oh, thank you, Misha, I really appreciate that," She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. "Thank you, really, for stopping in, it's very kind of you to be so welcoming," she smiled brightly, feeling more relaxed thinking she had a friend so nearby now.