Thirty Years Later

[Monty Pendleton]

It had been over thirty years since Monty had spoken to Colin Marsh. The Professor hadn't quite believed it when he'd received the man's owl, though as they continued exchanging letters, it soon became evident that this was indeed the same Colin he had known at Hogwarts Scotland. To call him an old friend would have been a bit of a stretch - the only time they had ever talked was during the production of a school play in which Monty had forgettably starred - but Monty fondly recalled Colin's backstage encouragement when he had been frightened to perform. He never had returned to acting after that, but Colin's kindness had never been forgotten, and his letters reminded Monty of those first tentative steps he had taken out of his comfort zone. Within a month, they arranged to meet.

Sat in a vacant corner of the small wizarding cafe, Monty tapped his finger against his mug. He wasn't impatient - he'd arrived early on purpose - but nervous. The Colin Monty had known backstage had been confident, focused, optimistic - everything Monty had lacked, and admired. Comparatively, Monty had been meek, distant, and anxious, scarcely able to meet anybody's eye. Plenty had changed on Monty's behalf, but what about Colin? Would he be the same boy, only older? Or would he, too, have been shaped and influenced by the course of his life? So much could change in thirty odd years. Monty only hoped they would still get along.

 

[Colin Michaels]

It was a small and surprising world, that much Colin had realized. Not once when he moved to New Zealand desperate to find a fresh start did he ever envision himself reconnecting with anyone he knew from school, but a twist of fate lead him to rekindle and maintain a few of the friendships during the years against all odds. He had thought the close friendships currently in his life would be the only ones he did rekindle however it seemed fate was turning again when he sent a letter to the deputy headmaster of his daughter's school concerned about her progress one month ago, unknowing the man receiving it was yet another person he knew from his time at hogwarts scotland. But with every owl exchanged he slowly realized the man on the other side of the words was indeed Monty Pendleton. Someone Colin knew briefly from his youth but not insignificantly. They met during Colin's first stint as a stage manager on a school production, and though on the surface he was the one helping Monty overcome a level of stage fright, Monty unintentionally helped him in return by showing him he was capable of his role. The knowledge he could manage a performance seamlessly was a lingering source of confidence for him over the years he was indescribably thankful for.

Colin could hardly believe the circumstance of it all when he headed to the small cafe they agreed to meet, the subject of his daughter's education the premise and priority of their chat but the ulterior motive of catching up in the back of his mind. While Winnie was first and foremost the reason Colin was there he couldn't shake the curiosity to find out the possible similarities and differences between their lives, whether Monty was still unsure of himself or had grown to be the opposite during the thirty or so years following their previous interaction. He swallowed the growing lump in his throat, nervously adjusting his tie when he entered the cafe. Initially he failed to recognize the man sitting in the corner as the Monty he knew but the realization clicked a moment later and he quickly approached the table where he sat. "It's been a while, but it's great to see you." He greeted, shaking the man's hand politely. A closer look proved Monty had aged well, something Colin wished he could also say for himself.​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty had just finished his tea when the cafe door opened. He glanced up, a smile lighting his face as he beheld the slightly weathered one of Colin. Indeed, the closer Colin came, the paler and more tired he seemed to look. But in his worn face Monty still captured an essence of youth, as if his complexion were touched up by the healthy blush of Monty's memory, unchanged and untested by the long years. When Colin finally spotted him, he stood up to return the man's handshake. "Colin! It is, it really is." he said, releasing his hand. "Can I get you something? A drink, or something to eat?" They had plenty to catch up on, as well as how best to help Winnie to discuss, and Monty didn't want Colin doing any of that on an empty stomach.

 

[Colin Michaels]

It truly was good to see Monty in person again, regardless the circumstances for their meeting were on a level more serious than a simple chat with an old school friend. A furthermore genuine smile crept on Colin's face as the other man offered to get him food or drink, though he waved the generosity away thinking the action of getting his own coffee more appropriate than accepting the kind gesture. "Oh no, don't worry, I'll get my own and be right back." He responded, moving the satchel hanging on his shoulder to place it on the opposite side of the table from Monty, before heading to the counter to make his order. Not a minute or two later he returned to the booth and sat down, rubbing his hands together then deciding to get down to business.

While his curiosity to learn about Monty's life since school was ever present, Colin was meeting with the deputy head for a reason and did not want to find himself distracted from that. He was sure they could talk about each other when they had Winnie's situation sorted out, anyway. "Alright, my wife insisted on being specific so I have written down a few notes." He said, attention wavering to his satchel as he opened it and sifted around, quickly producing the parchment he was looking for. Bringing the parchment to the table in front of him, Colin read it over once before sliding it closer to Monty. "The general idea is that she wants Winnie to eventually get straight O's, but for starters we both think it's best for her to understand how to pay proper attention during classes. I know she's a smart girl and capable of learning, but in an environment where she can't learn the way she wants to she gets easily distracted." Colin knew this from teaching Winnie to read and write when she was much younger, and also knew that her ability to pay attention had not changed, and possibly worsened during her time at school because of the routine of it all. The girl marched to the beat of her own drum which Colin encouraged, but he saw how it negatively effected her schooling. As much as he wanted her to express herself freely and hone in the idea her grades should never compromise her happiness, it wasn't realistic for her future.​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty opened his mouth to ask if Colin was sure, but the man had already gone. The Professor sat down and fidgeted with his hands for a moment. As he gazed unseeingly through the far window, he wondered just how much Colin remembered of him as a teenager, and whether those troubled moments stood out more vividly in his mind than the good ones. He was likely overestimating how much attention Colin had paid him. They'd been in different years, and Monty had scarcely made a scene more public than within his own classrooms. It was probably fine.

He smiled as Colin returned, shaken from his daydream. "All right; excellent," Monty said, pulling the parchment toward him to read. Colin hadn't been wrong - his wife was incredibly specific about what she wanted for her daughter. She was also very optimistic about the kind of support Monty was able to offer. "Mm," he said, to show he was still listening. "OK. From your experience, how would you describe Winnie's most productive working environment?" There might not have been a great deal Monty could change about the classroom, but he hoped that by getting a better understanding of how Winnie best worked, he might at the very least be able to remove one or two of her distractions.

 

[Colin Michaels]

The black coffee and scone Colin ordered were soon placed in front of him, giving him a means to occupy his hands from their nervous habits as Monty read the parchment. He sipped from the coffee first, using it as an excuse to wait a moment after Monty's question so he could formulate an answer properly. There were many instances where Winnie could be productive however for the most part when she was productive at home it was because she wanted to be. A home environment where she could learn whenever it suited her, rather than a school environment that forced her into a routine was one that was best for her learning. Though of course it was too much of an ask on Monty and Hogwarts in its entirety to recreate home for her, and Colin would never see it as a viable solution. She needed to adapt to her surroundings, in the very least. Placing his coffee cup back down, Colin tried to put together an answer that seemed fitting for the circumstances. "Well, I guess it would be anywhere that makes her feel comfortable, like she is at home but not literally. I think part of why she is having trouble learning is because she doesn't understand everything yet, and Hogwarts so different to what she's used to, so she just doesn't try." He explained, gathering from what Winnie had said to him this was the reason she had faced trouble with learning since beginning her first year. Before Hogwarts she was as eager to discover how the world worked as much as any other child. "I am trying to put aside time to tutor her and catch her up, but having a tutor closer to her age who she can relate to would help to make her more comfortable, since professors are probably too old and scary for her to talk to, even if they're as kind as you are." Colin waved his hand towards Monty, gesturing the 'old and scary' wasn't meant seriously, then picked up his coffee cup again, sipping from it as he waited to hear what the man's thoughts were.​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty nodded. It wasn't uncommon for students to stop trying, or even to act up, when they were too afraid to admit they didn't understand the subject matter. And too often these children were labelled lazy or problematic, when all they really needed was for somebody to take the time to explain the work to them in a way they found easy to understand. Colin already had some ideas of his own as to how Winnie might be helped, and Monty was more than willing to try to arrange her a student tutor. Kennedy and Landon's tutoring program had proved largely successful in the past, and though it perhaps wasn't feasible to organise such an event every year, Monty was sure he could find a volunteer among the many children who had signed up before. He laughed and shook his head, dismissing Colin's kind comment. "Oh, I understand," he said. "I used to be terrified of my professors." Admittedly, Monty hadn't always been the easiest student, so his professors' frustration might have been justified. "Anyway - absolutely, yes, I can look into arranging a student tutor; I think that's an excellent idea. I may not be able to replicate her best working environment, but now I've a better idea of the problem I can certainly keep an eye on her in class - try to reign in her attention if it wanders, that sort of thing. Would you like me to have a word with her Head of House? The more awareness we can raise among her professors, the more likely I think we'll be to help."