Open To Lend a Helping Hand

[Professor Landon Carter]

*Open after Marga posts with Jonah*

Landon usually spent his time outside of the castle, although sometimes he enjoyed a break from the usual routine. The man was on his way to the owlery with a birthday card he had written along with some dried rose petals for his wife. Her birthday was always one of the first days back at Hogwarts, and so Landon prioritised sending her a card as the first thing on his list when he started a new school year. Once he was finished with that, he would continue lesson planning for his fourth years. However, as Landon walked through the seventh floor to head up to the towers, he stopped in his tracks when he noticed a new Hufflepuff who seemed lost. "Jonah!" he exclaimed, hoping to not have startled him. "Are you okay, my boy? Are you lost?"

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

After Jonah was soundly rejected by the Headmaster about transferring to Gryffindor, he stopped making any attempt to transfer. For a good 24 hours. When he did not receive a howler from his mother, thorough grounding from his father, certain death from Eli, or any dementors to come whisk him off to Azkaban, Jonah figured that he was pretty safe. To try again. Of course, he would not be so stupid as to try breaking and entering the Headmaster's office yet again. He chose a smaller goal this time. Getting into Finding the Gryffindor Common Room. He didn't ask Ro for the specifics of course as he didn't want her to get in trouble. But they'd heard enough stories growing up that Jonah at least knew what floor the Gryffindor Common Room would be. So he'd been slowly, and methodically (no method at all) searching the Seventh Floor Corridor for any hint of where it would be hidden. He had not made any progress, but Jonah was anything if not persistent. What he did not expect in his search was for a voice to call out to him, a vaguely familiar voice. Jonah froze in his steps and slowly looked back to peek at who was calling him. Upon recognizing his the Hufflepuff Head of House, he quickly faced the front once again and began to speed walk away. The Headmaster said that the Hufflepuff Head of House would be told of his whole adventure, and so far Jonah had managed to avoid him. And Jonah had every intention of continuing to avoid him. He was hoping that pretending to not hear the professor would work out.​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

As Jonah slowly looked back, Landon smiled at him, but that soon turned into a frown as Jonah began to quickly walk away. Landon walked after him, a little confused, wondering if perhaps Jonah was up to something again that he shouldn't have been. He had thought nothing different of the boy after what the Headmaster had told him, thought that perhaps he was just curious, maybe a little impulsive. Sometimes first years could be a little impulsive, and that was okay, as it was all a part of them growing up and learning.

As Jonah started to get further away, Landon called after him. "Jonah! Where are you going? Do you need some help?" he asked with concern, walking a little bit faster to try and keep up. He didn't want to lose track of wherever the boy was going, however he also didn't want him to think that he was about to get him into trouble. Landon was certain that he could help the boy if he just stopped and talked to him.

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

Pretending not to hear the professor was a hundred percent not working out. Speedwalking away from the professor was also very much not working out. But Jonah was determined. Very determined. And also maybe a little scared. Why was the professor following him?! He hadn't done anything! Yet! But still! His last adventure was getting into the Headmaster's office, and the Headmaster had already said that the Head of House was only supposed to keep an eye on him. Not stalk and chase him around the school! Jonah took a chance to peek again when the Hufflepuff Head of House yelled for him again - and saw him speedwalking too. He quickly faced forward, and his pace went from a speedwalk to a run. Because Professor Carter was definitely chasing him. What did he do to deserve a stalker professor on his tail?! He didn't want to be chased by a professor! He hadn't even broken into the Gryffindor Common Room yet!​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon was a little upset that Jonah was avoiding him. In fact, the boy started to run as Landon shouted after him, and the man just sighed, deciding to stop in his tracks rather than bother trying to continue to chase him. Landon hated to give up on people, and that certainly wasn't what he was doing with Jonah. He just knew that if he continued to go after him that things may not end well. He needed to make the boy feel comfortable enough to approach him, and chasing him wasn't going to do that. Feeling defeated, Landon turned his back to the wall and leant against it so he could catch his breath. Aging has definitely not done him well. He needed to think first before attempting to interact with the boy again, and perhaps Jonah would be his biggest challenge yet.

 

[Ondine Physwick]

Ondine, who had been exploring the upper floors of the castle, was quite surprised to see a Hufflepuff whiz by. Their common room was several floors down, she’d thought, and most of the classrooms up here were for the older children. If he was exploring too, he ought to slow down and have a proper look at his surroundings; Ondine had found it very useful to mark interesting portraits and statues on her map as checkpoints.

A dozen strides later, she came across another surprising sight: the Hufflepuff head of house, leaning against a wall. The pieces of the puzzle fitted themselves neatly together. “I think he went down there, sir,” she said. “Would you like me to catch him for you?” Ondine could run surprisingly fast in a long skirt.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Felix had noted that the common room was most definitely clear from Ten before he'd crossed the space, the portrait door swinging open in front of him as he dared to make his escape. He didn't even notice there was a commotion outside, because in truth he was too busy worrying about what he was going to face that day and whether he'd make it through a few unscathed hours. He'd barely walked a few steps away from his common room door when he saw a first-year he somewhat recognised barreling towards him. He'd seen him in a few lessons and knew at least he was a first-year even if he didn't remember his name. "Are you okay?" he asked quickly, getting the impression the only reason someone would be running the way this student did now was because he was trying to run away from someone. He'd been in that position himself too many times to count. The Gryffindor peered down the corridor to see one of the Professors leaning against a wall, although it didn't make sense why he'd be running from him?​

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

Jonah had not been running far before he almost ran into a Gryffindor, barely stopping before full on barrelling towards the other boy. As it was he’d stopped barely a foot in front of who he was sure he’d seen in a class. He really probably think more on his actions before… well, acting. But he’d already grabbed the boy by the shoulders in his slight panic over a professor chasing him. “You need to hide me. He’s coming for me!” he said, hoping that his tone was inflecting the gravity of the situation. “Your Common Room’s not far right?! Lemme hide out there I beg you,” and well… if he could hit two stones with one bird why not right?​

 

[William Potter-Cade]

William was on his way back to the common room when he saw Professor Carter leaned against a wall just a little down the hall from the portrait. He nodded to the man but his guard was up as something was clearly going on, and he was always a little nervous whenever a professor was hanging around. As he got closer to the common room he saw two boys a little outside the entrance, one of which he recognised as his roommate Felix, the other he didn’t know but he had Hufflepuff robes on. “What’s going on? Are you trying to hide from your head of house?” He asked the hufflepuff boy. “Shall we sneak him inside?”

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

“He’s after me and I haven’t even done anything!” Jonah insisted to the now two Gryffindor boys without trying to deny that the man was his Head of House since he was wearing Hufflepuff colors anyway. “Think I should ditch the robes?” he said already taking off his outer robes and left in his uniform. It probably didn’t help that he had a Hufflepuff tie on but this should help them sneak him in right?​

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Most students may have been unnerved by being jostled by one's shoulders, but it was an almost weekly occurrence for the Gryffindor who was now being begged by the student for him to hide him. He didn't know the context, why this Hufflepuff was running from the professor nor why he needed to be hid, but in that moment he knew he'd have to make a choice. A choice between sticking up for a student, or sticking up for a figure of authority. Authority had never done much for him anyway.

"Okay, okay, I'll hide you," he agreed, not daring to look back to see how far the professor was behind him now. They'd only have a minute or so until he caught up with them. He knew what it was like to want to hide, to fear someone, and not be able to do anything about it. His heart dropped when he heard another voice behind him, but he was relieved to see it was William and not a prefect. Felix hadn't waited to hear the Hufflepuff's side of the story, they could figure that out later. Before he could say anything else, the yellow robes were tossed to the side, and with a nod to William, Felix grabbed the new boy by the arm and pulled him across the corridor the way he'd come. It wouldn't have been possible if he hadn't only just come out himself, but he'd been in the right place at the right time. ​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

When a young Ravenclaw student approached him, Landon quickly stood up from the wall. He didn't want his students thinking anything was wrong. As she asked if he wanted her to chase after Jonah, Landon quickly shook his head. "No need!" he exclaimed, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. However, perhaps she could still help him. "Do you happen to know Jonah very well? The boy that was running away? Would you happen to know if he... usually runs like that?" Landon wasn't sure how to phrase it but perhaps she knew a little more than he did, and if she didn't, at least it was worth a try.

@Ondine Physwick

 

[Vex]

When there was running, there was usually Vex, but this time it seemed to not be true! How rude! Someone was stealing his main source of entertainment! And that just wasn't right! Racing through the corridors, his kettle of slimes leaking along behind him (if someone trips over it, that's not his fault) he tried to find the source of the sound of running, only to come across a rather large gathering. Oh, well, well, well. The poltergeist, currently corporeal shrieked in delight "he went that way Professor Hufflepuff! He did! Vexxie saws it!" He had not in fact seen anything, only many people in a place that he didn't understand, and he wanted to be involved! "That way Professor Hufflepuff!"​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon was a little startled when he heard the familiar sound of the all too famous Vex. Vex seemed very eager for Landon to go after Jonah, but Landon shook his head. He did not feel comfortable following a student without any intent other than simple curiosity as there was simply no reason to. "Now Vex, I'm not going to chase after him. My legs simply don't work as well as they used to." he told him honestly. Besides, it wasn't like Jonah was breaking any rules by simply wanting to be alone.

 

[Vex]

Vex pouted at the professor, he didn't see what the big problem was. "I have a great idea!" he called happily, bowing obnoxiously to the professor. "What if I catch him for you! I can bring him right back here and you can say TEN POINTS FROM HUFFLEPUFF!" it would feel like he was taking points from hufflepuff and then he could pretend that he was like Professor Hufflepuff! What fun! "TEN POINTS FROM HUFFLEPUFF TEN POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR EHEHEHEHEHEE!" The Poltergeist called as obnoxiously and loudly as he could, floating down the corridor to find the missing student.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James didn’t usually get involved with student discipline, he had been a new teacher the previous year and was still finding his feet. Not the mention most of the things teachers and prefects usually intervened on were the kind of things he himself had got in trouble for when he was a student, it seemed almost hypocritical. Now that he was a head of house however, he was the man Gryffindor students were brought to when they were caught by other professors and prefects, it stopped with him at least as far as his house was concerned.

With all that in mind James couldn’t ignore the commotion outside any longer. He had already been alerted to it by a couple of students and even a ghost. The ghost had been the final straw and James made his way out into the hall, elegantly moving through the portrait hole and out to the scene of the commotion.

“I hope you aren’t taking that Hufflepuff where I think you are boys,” A Layton and a Cade. He should have guessed. James shook his head at the two Gryffindor boys but saved his most serious look for the Hufflepuff. “One day Jonah, I’m going to investigate a disturbance and you won’t be at the centre of it, I long for that day,” James signed as he eyed the three boys. “Out with it, what’s going on, and William if you lie to me I swear to Godric I’ll bring your mother into this,”

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

Jonah had breathed a sigh of relief when the two Gryffindor boys had agreed to hide him. They were awesome, he decided, which was great because a stalker professor wasn't really something that Jonah should be dealing with at the tender age of twelve. And the boys were great because they didn't even ask for Jonah's name, and he was definitely going to learn their names once he was safe from the Hufflepuff Head of House. He jumped in surprise though when a voice was suddenly yelling only to find... a ghost? Jonah looked on, horrified, as the ghost was approaching them and yelling about deducting points! Can they even deduct points?! The whole thing had been distracting that Jonah thinks they'd barely made it anywhere before the scary Gryffindor Head of House was in front of them! Oh Merlin, was he stalking his friends too?! He didn't have to ponder that cause then he looked scandalized at the professor. They weren't even doing anything! "It was him!" he said, pointing at the yelling ghost because they really were the one who was causing a disturbance! And Jonah didn't want to get William - whichever one he was - in trouble! He and his friends were peacefully trying to hide thank you very much.​

 

[Vex]

The poltergeist couldn't believe someone was implicating him in something he didn't even do! "Me! THIS WAS NOT MY DOING!" He yelled, unsure what he was actually defending himself from but knowing he should defend himself anyway.

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon felt a sense of panic as Vex began floating away shouting obscenities and about how he was going to find Jonah. "W-wait no, Vex!!" he exclaimed, hesitating a moment before going after him. He didn't think he would be spending his afternoon chasing people and poltergeists down, but he was. As he turned the corner after Vex, he stopped in his tracks as he noticed Jonah with two Gryffindors, and Jonah's robes on the floor, tossed to the side. Landon couldn't help but feel a little betrayed at the sight of it. It looked like they were heading into the Gryffindor common room, and the Gryffindor Head of House had caught them before they did.

"I-I'm sorry." Landon stammered, unsure what else he could say. He couldn't believe Jonah in that moment. He couldn't believe that he trusted his student only to find him getting up to no good. His heart sank as he felt more guilt than he had felt in a long time. If Landon had caught him earlier, it wouldn't have gotten this far. "Professor, I'm sorry that my student was causing you grief. I was wondering what he was up to... I didn't ever think it could be this." Landon sighed, before turning to the boys. "You boys better have a good explanation for this." He almost pleaded with them, not wanting to get them into trouble if he didn't have to.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Felix stopped short in front of the common room door, his heart dropping as Professor Cade came strolling out. Of all the people to arrive at that moment, of course, it had to be their Head of House. Felix glanced between Professor Cade and the Professor and the poltergeist coming up the corridor. This was it, they were doomed. They were the student meat to the professor sandwich and Felix had no intention of making a meal of things.

As William was told by the professor that his mother would be dragged into it if he lied, Felix knew it was he who had nothing else to lose. Before he could say anything, however, the Hufflepuff had pointed to the poltergeist, blaming him for the issue entirely. Felix could work with that. The Gryffindor nodded, there was no hiding the fact they'd been about to go into the common room but at least he could defend they'd had good reason, "That thing has been chasing him for ages," Felix added, "Isn't it better to help someone being bullied rather than just watch it happen?" He raised his eyebrows to his Head of House, hoping that as a Gryffindor he would agree.

It was then that he heard the Herbology professor having caught up behind them, and he met the face of the exhausted man. Felix had figured that it was this professor the Hufflepuff had actually been running from, and he tried to move a little to stand between the pair. He didn't know what the Hufflepuff was going to say so it was hard for Felix to help, but he wasn't going to let the professor drag him away either when the student had obviously been trying to escape him.​

 

[Professor James Cade]

“Vex, shoo,” James waved away the poltergeist like he was trying to dismiss a bad smell, for all the good that would do. He turned his attention to the two Gryffindor boys in front of him, the only two in the situation he had full jurisdiction over. James loved when first years talked back to him, it almost made him smile. They were testing their boundaries, he respected that but he was the one that needed to set those boundaries and push back and unfortunately for them, sneaking a Hufflepuff into the Gryffindor common was a line he had to cross. Even if there were times when he wished he could have done the same, particularly when he had dated girls in other houses.

“Felix, William, I’ll be giving you both detention and deducting twenty points each, Vex is a pain in the a** but that doesn’t justify sneaking a non Gryffindor into our common room,” Was his punishment a little harsh? Probably, but he did not want to develop a reputation for being a soft touch, not when he was new to his position. James nodded towards Landon and smiled softly at him, “No problem Professor, for what its worth I’m not sure Jonah did anything I think he just got spooked by an authority figure, he seems to scare easily,”

 

[William Potter-Cade]

William’s jaw dropped when James told them how many points they were losing which was insane given they hadn’t actually done anything, he was making an assumption based on where they were stood and the appearance that they were dragged Jonah towards the Gryffindor common room, but he couldn’t prove that. “Uncle James you can’t be serious, we didn’t do anything! William shouted at the man. He was a lot more comfortable standing up to the professor given their relationship than if it had been anyone else.

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

Jonah appreciated the first boy a whole lot more when he repositioned himself to be in between Jonah and the Hufflepuff Head of House. He still didn't know why the Hufflepuff Head of House was following him when he hadn't technically been doing anything. Sure he'd been looking for the Gryffindor Common Room but there wasn't anything wrong with looking now was there! People look for hidden things all the time. And all of the school already knew that Ravenclaw had a tower, the Hufflepuffs were on the fourth floor, the Slytherins hung in the dungeons, and the Gryffindors - the poor things - were up on the seventh floor. His jaw dropped though when the Gryffindor Head of House decided out of complete nowhere to take away forty points. That was a lot of points. Rose was going to kill him. His new friends were going to kill him. Would they even still be friends with him after this? "What the f**k?" Cause he was pretty sure that was appropriate and he'd heard that from his parents enough when they think no one was listening. He didn't know what it meant, but this seemed to be a scenario his parents would be using it for. "We haven't done anything but run away from that," he said gesturing to the yelling poltergeist, "and him, 'cause he was chasing me around for no reason," he said pointing to the Hufflepuff Head of House. Jonah had been minding his own business and now his friends were losing points because the Hufflepuff Head of House had decided to chase him around! (He was conveniently forgetting that he would not have met said friends if he wasn't being chased around)​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon nodded as James made a case for Jonah, however he didn't want anyone to be intimidated by him, especially not his own students. He thought that he had done a good job keeping a good reputation during his years at the school, however Jonah seemed to be the only one that simply didn't understand that he was only trying to lend a helping hand. Landon couldn't help but feel a little upset.

At Jonah's language, Landon gasped. "Jonah, that is no way to be talking." he said, ashamed that one of his first years were talking that way. Jonah was walking along a thin line however, and Landon hoped that Jonah wouldn't say anything else to get him into trouble. He sighed as Jonah accused Landon of chasing him for no reason. "I would never do that, Jonah." he said softly, trying to reason with the boy. "Perhaps we need to have a chat however about both of our intentions. I don't want you to be thinking things that aren't true." Landon didn't want to push too much, however it was still early on in the semester and he didn't want things to be going on for any longer than they needed to.

 

[Vex]

Shoo? SHOO?! The poltergeist had never been so insulted as these ickle little firsties trying to get him into trouble and then when he was clearly try to help Professor Gryffindor decides to tell him to shoo. How insulting. Vex knew just what to do with insults like that. He immediately looked down at Professor Gryffindor's shoes and grinned, now every time the professor moved, his shoes would squeak. Then he took a deep breath and began to repeat everything the professor said in a very squeaky voice. “Felix, William, I’ll be giving you both detention and deducting twenty points each, Vex is a pain in the a** but that doesn’t justify sneaking a non Gryffindor into our common room,” he said, floating to be exactly head height with the professor as he did so. “No problem Professor, for what its worth I’m not sure Jonah did anything I think he just got spooked by an authority figure, he seems to scare easily,”

He wasn't happy about the other students either, so he started mimicking them too. “Uncle James you can’t be serious, we didn’t do anything!" Vex disagreed, they absolutely did do something, they were trying to blame HIM!? "What the f**k?" "We haven't done anything but run away from that," "and him, 'cause he was chasing me around for no reason," if he had to follow them around the school for the rest of the month he would. So be it.