Troublemakers in the Bucketloads

[Justin Cliffeton]

Professor Justin Cliffeton walked up the stairs of the castle with Orwell Brocken, one of the students he had recently caught in the Forbidden Forest who had decided to make it his life mission to make Justin's life difficult tonight and question every single thing that he did to try and keep him and his other friend safe. He sighed as he recalled the events that had led from him finding them to them coming there, the young boy he was escorting hadn't believed him on several times when he told him that the forest was forbidden and had argued with him about it on every single chance he had gotten.

He sighed at the thought. When he reached Professor Spenser's door, he knocked, and waited to be invited in; when he was he entered with Orwell and gestured towards the seat. "Sorry for the lateness, Professor Spenser, but I just caught Orwell here in the Forbidden Forest with another Gryffindor." He wouldn't include that Orwell had questioned everything he had done to try and keep them safe, not yet anyway. He'd let Jonathon see the attitude for himself.

 

[Jonathan Spenser]

With exams fast approaching Jonathan had taken to staying in his office later than usual to catch up on marking all assignments and any make up work that he had allowed students, who felt that they wanted a better mark, to do to bring it up. As well as that he was making tweaks to his exams, making sure his questions made sense and he had enough copies and really that everything was ready for his students. Starting into his third cup of coffee for the night and his first decaf as he didn’t want to be staying up for too much longer before retiring for the night he heard a knock on his door. Frowning his eyebrows in confusion he tidied himself and his desk up slightly before calling for whomever it was to enter.

Jonathan was, admittedly, surprised to see Justin, one of his own students who was now a Professor, one of his peers. This was one of the things that Jonathan loved about his job, seeing his students grow up to the successful men and women that he knew they would one day be, and was even more special when they became his peers.

Surprise soon turned to disappoint when he saw one of his younger students take a seat in front of him and heard Justin’s explanation of why he was in his office at this time. Jonathan had been teaching for a long time and disciplining came with the job but it didn’t mean he liked doing it. “Thank you for bringing him in, Professor. Orwell, do you care to explain to me why Professor Cliffeton found you in the Forbidden Forest tonight?” He asked, focusing his attention on the student.

 

[Orwell Brocken]

Orwell was not particular happy with how his evening had gone really. He was following the professor who'd supposedly "caught" him in the forest and heading towards his head of house's office. He didn't know what to expect from it, but considering Brock was still very much of the impression that he'd done no wrong, he was just frustrated. The teen would stick to the truth and he wouldn't be afraid to talk back if he believed he was being misrepresented by either of them. He wasn't feeling up to being talked down to either, but the teen was sure he'd have no choice in that matter. Instead he just sighed loudly and followed the professor, choosing to not say anything about any of it. Just keeping his face as neutral as he could as they stopped in front of the office and he was then allowed in. He wiped his hands against his jeans, suddenly feeling a little bit nervous, but the teen shook his head at himself and reminded himself that forests were no more dangerous just because they were magic. He looked between the professor's and then took the seat he was motioned towards, glancing at both of them. He didn't like the professor who'd brought him in, but found a small smile etching onto his face as his head of house, asked him to explain.

"Professor Spenser, I feel this unjust," He started keeping his gaze firmly on the professor, he would never say sir, because that to him implied that this professor was above him in some way and fundamentally Orwell disagreed with that kind of thing. The teen had always been taught to be confident and assertive, believe firmly and hold your ground, "I live in a community within a forest, I know forests are dangerous. I went into the forest because I'd been feeling a little homesick and wanted to go for a walk in a place that was familiar to me, there I ran into a girl and a centaur and together we were attempting to find her friend," he told the professor honestly, seeing no point in lying about it. Orwell had gone to the forest because he felt homesick, he had run into both Doriana and the centaur, they had been looking for her friend, "It was as we were looking for this friend that Professor Cliffeton found us," he shot a look at the man, before focusing his attention on his head of house once more.

"The forest has no right being forbidden, forests are dangerous that much is true but what makes that forest any more dangerous than any other forest. I could just as easily be killed or die in the forest of my community as I could be in that forest, " Orwell paused slightly, "We were not disturbing anything, we were being respectful to the forest, ensuring we didn't disrupt any habitats, or make too much noise. I respect the forest, I'd never assume that because I am both a wizard and human that I am invincible within it. Banning the forest doesn't stop people going in, it doesn't stop classes being held in it, people still go in, people will continue to go in. If you remove the ban it won't mean floods of people will go in, at most there might create a small increase but those determined to go into the forest won't be stopped by simply saying it's forbidden. Teach people how be respectful, careful and aware, that just because they are magical that doesn't make them immune," Orwell stopped himself and took a deep breath, "I don't believe I was doing anything wrong when I was in the forest,"
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