Relaxing...

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty had forgotten how much he enjoyed simply being. Not working, or reading, or doing anything in particular - just sitting, preferably outside, with the sun on his face. After the last few days he'd had, he was almost afraid to show his face around the school; everybody whose eyes he met he grew convinced was thinking badly of him. But he did not care about any of that today. Today, for a little while, all he wanted to do was sit in the courtyard, listening to the birds, remembering what it was about the outdoors he loved so much. Children passed, but for the most part didn't bother him. Work called, but he closed his ears to the sound. He sighed, wondering what Arvo would have told him to do, if he'd been here. Perhaps he ought to write and ask. Then again, perhaps not.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Lingering nearby, she had just came out of the garden with petals to be added to her collection. Many of the garden flowers and plants were wilting away because of the change in weather, which made sense. Soon enough, they would be replaced by another sort that can withstand the season. Chante slipped her petals and plant leafs inside the small pocket of her overalls. She was oblivious to her surrounding as she trekked her way back towards the castle until she took notice of Professor Pendleton sitting alone. She didn't recognize him at first, he looked so different. Fluffiness of his hair top was all gone, cut, and shorten. And he looked a bit at peace, sitting there alone. Chante did not want to disrupt the man. Out of impulsive, she did so anyways. She couldn't help herself! Chante really liked Professor Pendleton, and had secretly sent him a rose on Valentine's Day. "Hello professor!" Chante greeted him, happily as ever to see him. Regardless, he cut his hair or not, she really enjoyed seeing around and out of class for once.
​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty was recalled from him abstraction by the approach of a young second year - Chante, if memory served him. He smiled back, happy to see a student enjoying the fresh air as he was. "Hello," he said, shielding his eyes from the sunlight so that he could look up at her. Noting that she seemed to have come from the direction of the great lawn, he asked, "What have you been up to?"

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante pulled out the petals from overalls, showing them to her professor. "I was in the garden, collecting these. They're welting away because of the weather change." Chante placed them back inside her overall front pocket. It's quite possibly the first time she ever showed that to anyone. Everyone probably assumed she went to the garden to sit and stare, like, Professor Pendleton here. "Are you okay professor, I was actually a little shock to see you out here! Not that I don't mind. And, I ah, notice you cut you hair!" Chante sat down without being invited. Professor Pendleton so friendly to his students, she sure he wouldn't mind it at all.
​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty tilted his head to get a closer look at the petals. "Oh," he said, smiling. "Do you press them, or..?" The Potions professor missed having time for idle hobbies - or at least, he missed being able to enjoy time spent idle, instead of filling every spare moment with worries about work or the students. He nodded yes to Chante's question, then laughed; frequent changes of style were not unusual for him, though a student drawing attention to it struck him as slightly odd. "Um - yes," he said, moving instinctively farther down the bench as the Hufflepuff sat down next to him. "Where are you off to next this afternoon, then?" It wasn't that he wanted to get rid of Chante, so much as that he wouldn't have been heartbroken if she suddenly remembered she needed to be elsewhere.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante nodded, when she did her thick curls went in her face. Chante brushed locks back, and pinned some behind her ears. "Sometimes I do! Sometimes I save them so I can glue them down on random furniture at home. Mom not really into it." Chante grins. "What about you? Is there something you like doing when you're not being a great professor?" She ask. It is wrong to wanting to get to know her professor more on a personal level? Chante, subconsciously scoot a little closer, intrigue by the man. She didn't realize she was doing it, but he was too far and she wanted to make sure she was hearing everything he had to say. "It's nice! Still lovely. Nowhere, I've done what I came to do. Is it okay if I sit here with you?" She asked, a little too late.
​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty smiled politely, hoping Chante wouldn't noticed how strained the expression was. Her flattering remark caused a blush to rise to his cheeks, though mostly she had embarrassed him; for a second year, she was awfully complimentary. Unusually complimentary. And unusually interested in him. Seeing as he couldn't move much farther along the bench without falling off it, he hugged his arms tighter into himself, hands held together in his lap. "Mm, not really," he said, not very much wanting to open up a discussion about his personal hobbies. "I like to read." Everybody liked to read. Well - most people. "Uh - well, you can, but I do have to get going, soon," he told her, though had it not been for her, he likely would have stayed at least fifteen minutes longer. "And I'm afraid I'm not much of a talker, today. I daresay I won't be very entertaining."

 

[Leda Layton]

Every Thursday, Olive dedicated her evenings to spending time with her sister, playing games or learning more about the Potions she was working on, or generally just enjoying one anothers company. Last night however, things had been a little different. Olive had appeared flustered and on edge, and by the time Leda managed to pull out of the Professor what exactly was going on, she'd been more than a little shocked by the news. Trying to find Mervyn, she wanted him to be the first to know. He was her best friend, partner in crime, and while Leda wasn't sure whether this development was going to make her potions lessons more awkward or exciting, it was still the most juicy gossip of the year. On her way through the courtyard however, she paused in her tracks, spotting the very man she had learnt about talking to one of the Hufflepuff's in her class. Leda hadn't bothered to get to know too many people outside of her close circle, but she could recognize faces enough to tell who she was. Disregarding the fact they were in mid discussion, Leda approached the pair that sat on the bench, wasting no time as the adrenaline kicked in to make her presence known. "Professor Pendleton, or should I say Professor Layton?" She teased, crossing her arms over her chest.
​

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante oblivious to the fact she was making him uncomfortable. It wouldn't come to her attention because she was desperately waiting for his usual chipper ways to shine through. Any moment now, he'd be sweet and full of enthusiasm that it would be too much for him that he can't help but burst out in the scene. Unfortunately, his answers were tedious and short. He didn't try to carry out a conversation with the Hufflepuff. Then, along came another student. Chante recognize her from HOM class. Chante never said a word to the girl, or anyone from Slytherins house. Except that girl Ivori and a first year, Sapphire. Their HoH kinda scared Chante. Then the girl, Leda, addressed their Professor as Professor Layton? Chante, confused, jump to conclusion right away. Layton, Professor Layton was the new potion professor, wasn't it?! Wait, did that mean?! "Oh, you're married! Ah, when did that happen?!" Chante stood up, frowning. "Are you his daughter or something?!"
​

Out of Character:

I am laughing!! ​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Of course, Monty knew what Leda meant: she was referring to to the fact he had once been called Richard Layton. Olive must have told her. Monty felt a flash of irritation, not that his colleague had shared the information with her sister, but that Leda was so inconsiderate of his privacy. How dare she? Did it not occur to her that he might have changed his name for personal reasons? Before he could reply, however, the situation became even more bizarre, as Chante stood up and asked, quite vehemently, if he were married, or if Leda were his daughter! What on earth did his relationship status have to do with the Hufflepuff? Her interest in his personal life only cemented a suspicion he had not wanted to entertain.

"No!" he said, with an incredulous shake of his head. Both girls were now stood in front of him, and he tried not to shrink in their shadows. "Leda and Professor Layton are - are my cousins! Thank you, Leda." Monty stood up, blushing fiercely. He knew he was handling the situation poorly, but he had never been in such a bizarre position before, and both girls were making him uncomfortable. At least he had the graciousness not to embarrass Chante. "And kindly - please refer to me as Professor Pendleton. I'm sorry; I have to go." With that, Monty strode off toward the castle, at least now fairly sure he'd solved the mystery of the Valentine's rose.