spilled pumpkin juice ;open;

[irina graciela villarreal]

;;i. g. VILLARREAL;;

It was lunchtime, on the first week back, and Irina Villarreal wasn't particularly hungry. She sat at the Ravenclaw table - as if there were any other option - and pushed the meager servings of delicious around with her fork, falling back into her old habit of becoming unobtrusive. It'd been a crappy day so far: her neck was sore, she'd set fire to her shirt cuff during Potions, she'd been shoved around in the halls more than usual and she'd lost five House Points for being late to Herbology. Irina wasn't sure what she'd done, but she was convinced this was karma.

At least, she tried to console herself, the week hadn't been so awful. She'd been having decent conversations with her dorm-mates, about more than the weather, for the first time in years. It'd hurt a bit, but she'd managed to peal herself from her book and tried to participate a bit in the conversations going on around her. It wasn't much to a stranger's point of view, but human interaction had made Irina feel airier and made her smile a hint wider.

Even her classmates noticed the change, or at least Irina hoped they did. They seemed more predisposed to talk nonsense with her, asking her about her summer and what she thought about being back. It made Irina smile: people speaking to her out of real interest instead of politeness was rather new and different. Of course, Irina thought with a slight downward tilt of her mouth, there were a few characters who she wishes would have preferred their distance. The unpleasant boy who she partnered with in Potions was a prime example.

Jolting back from her recollections, Irina remembered not having eaten a thing on her plate. She felt a bit remorseful about it - the House Elves slaved painstakingly to make such marvelous masterpieces of meals and she was wasting it. She took a small bite of her meal, only to realize that it hurt her dry throat to swallow it. Irina coughed a bit and immediately reached for the newly refilled pitcher of pumpkin juice nearby. It was heavy and the handle was a bit slippery from the perspiration of the jar. Her arms trembled slightly as she served herself a goblet-full, she tried to keep from falling and almost succeeded.

In one shuddering crash, the pitcher slipped from her grip and clattered onto the table. The orange liquid spilled onto the table, drenching everything within its reach - including various plates, books, parchments and students. As the sound stopped ringing in her ears, the pitcher rolled to a stop innocently, leaving Iriina to deal with the aftermath. Suddenly, her House-mates seemed a lot more terrifying.

"Merlin," was the first word to spring to her lips."I'm so sorry, really sorry! I really am, I swear I didn't meant to... It just... fell..."

OOC--> Hey! Just putting this up to get some threads going, I guess. Feel free to respond. Sorry it's so unoriginal...

[.syloh montgomery wolfe]

&.The gamekeeper had just settle down at the long head table with all the other teachers. Lunch time had finally come and like usually he sat at the end of the table. The man glance down the row of teachers then to his plate. It was full of most of his favorite foods. He remembered them well from when he was attend the school. Though they had less as big of a selection then, then they do now.

&.When a sudden loud crash and boom caught his ears, Syloh had no time to eat his meal. Instantly looking up out over the house tables, he spotted a rather alone girl fussing to some other house-mates about her accident. He chuckled, though he knew it was wrong of him too. To help the young lady out Syloh slipped his wand from his sleeve and waved it under the table. He caused the pitcher to be placed up right again. He did nothing to the juice. What, she had to do something herself.

&.He slyly noticed the reactions of the other teachers to what he did. Of course the man didn't mind them, and so he stood easily and left his place at the head table and strolled toward the Ravenclaw girl. He had slid his wand back and put his hands in his pockets.

&.Syloh slowed his pace as he neared her area. He grinned and stopped about a few steps away, careful not to damage his shoes in the juice. He didn't say a word. Just stood, with most eyes on him or her and looked down. He cleared his throat and commented, "Okay, I helped you out with the pitcher, but this," He generally waved his hand at the juice then continued, "this is yours to take care of."

&.It dawned on him that all that he did seemed creeper-ish. Crap... He removed his hands from his pockets and lifted one to his face. Syloh sighed as he pulled it slowly down across his face. He would never live this one down to the students. The gamekeeper offered a fake quiet laugh to himself. It wasn't reassuring.

Syloh Montgomery Wolfe

[irina graciela villarreal]

;;i. g. VILLARREAL;;

Irina waited for some sort of fissure in the floor to open and swallow her completely. The incident was tinged with irony: years spent unnoticed, like wallpaper, and the moment she decides to change is when she announces her existence with a bang - quite literally. The glares of those who had begun trying to salvage what could be salvaged from the sopping mess of pumpkin juice, bore into her and the snickers that began rise in the Great Hall made her flush red.

She began to scamper around trying to help, placing napkin upon napkin on the wet surfaces, patting them down to get rid of the juice. Then, before her eyes, the pitcher righted itself. Like magic, thought Irina before smacking herself mentally. Of course, she was a witch! Why on earth was she doing this the Muggle way? Sometimes Irina felt she'd been sorted into the wrong House. It was then that she noticed the man who had been kind enough to help her out somewhat.

"Okay, I helped you out with the pitcher, but this,"The stranger motioned his hand at the puddle (no, lagoon seemed more proper) of juice then continued, "this is yours to take care of."

Even though she herself was splattered with the juice - which had begun to make her feel sticky and unclean - and she was nearly on her knees to clean up the mess, the seriousness of his tone struck her as the funniest part of the fiasco. She pressed her lips together to stop from laughing, but still the corners of her mouth tilted upwards. It was just so creepy and stalkerish that it was funny. But of course, the student population wasn't as merciful as her. One student snorted with laughter, finding the man's quiet chuckle a sort of permission to laugh.

Irina mentally restrained the laughter that was threatening to bubble up her throat, before deciding it was safe to speak. For all the silliness, she didn't want to offend the man. She heard herself replying carefully, "Yes sir, I'll take care of it..."

She took out her wand to begin cleaning the juice of the table, but decided to give a friendly bit of advice, "If I were you, I wouldn't phrase things that way. Students here are a bit merciless about things like that," she offered, giving sidelong glance at the student who had not been able to control their mirth.

OOC--> Sorry for taking so long, had to leave the computer for a bit...

[.syloh montgomery wolfe]

&.Laughs and gigglers washed over him. Syloh located the girl who deemed it fit to start an out burst. His usually liquid topaz eyes hardened on her. He was at least glad that the student who made the pumpkin juice mess had the sincerity to hold her amusement in. But her reply was scared like and quick. Had he come off as that serious? His eyes were still on the seeming leader girl as he frowned some.

&.The man mildly caught the Ravenclaw girl's words as she started with the spill. She was right. These, and any students, weren't merciful and if he wanted to avoid any more complications, he would have to learn that fast. So, to prove he was the same Syloh ended the amused and mocking faces with a false smirk. "Okay, okay now that we have all had a good laugh, you who are watching have two options." The gamekeeper's lips curved up to a true grin and he shifted his feet to a stance with regal behaviors. "Either you can shut up and leave or see me after school for a detention. And I guarantee you that tonight's trip through the forest wouldn't be clean and easy." With a chuckle Syloh crossed his arms over his chest and watched as the once growing crowd thinned out to nothing.

&.After the last student was clear of ear shot, besides the lady cleaning the mess, Syloh ran his hands through his hair and sighed. He looked down at the girl and smiled. "Thanks for the tip." He was about to walk off and return to his meal but his mind noticed her quietness. Sure, it could have been because he was a teacher and most students thought they were awkward to talk with, Syloh just proved that. But there was just something that made him stay. He cleared his throat and muttered, "Sometimes I think I'm just to social with the students." The comment wasn't put to anyone, he just hopped she heard it. But what he said was true, none-the-less.

Syloh Montgomery Wolfe

[irina graciela villarreal]

;;i. g. VILLARREAL;;

With a somewhat uncharacteristic sense of wicked satisfaction, Irina watched mutely as her fellow students were silenced with a biting retort. It brought a small grin to her lips, not out of particular dislike towards the other teens, but from the way they grumbled as if they were little children who had been caught putting toads in their sibling's pillows. Even so, Irina knew they preferred shutting up to the nasty detention in the Forbidden Forest.

As the students cleared away, Irina was left with a bit of a thoughtful silence, napkins sodden with pumpkin juice and the silent man. She quickly vanished the napkins and pointed her wand at herself, muttering a quick Scourgify to get rid of the sticky juice. As she did so, she heard a throat clear and a muttered, "Sometimes I think I'm just to social with the students."

"That isn't a bad thing, you know," she said before she could stop herself. She shifted to face the man, her dark eyes leveled with his. Irina supposed she should finish her statement. "Nobody likes to be taught by someone they can't relate to. It's just about keeping balance, you can't let them disrespect you."

Irina fell silent for a moment, glancing at the floor, but returned her gaze to his to add, "I'm sorry for sounding preachy and all. I want to be a teacher myself one day."

[.syloh montgomery wolfe]

&.The man cast his eyes off to a window. But the the student who was finishing cleaning the juice spoke, it caught Syloh's attention once more. He grinned at the next tip she gave. Good, so he wasn't doing anything wrong when he talked to students. He did also notice that he was the one of the few out out of so many teachers to get down to the student's level.

&.The gamekeeper chuckle some at her last comment and waved one of his hands. "No need to apologize, the advice is good." Syloh stopped his laugh but kept the smirk and continued, "You'd be a great teacher, my only worry is that you will take my job. But i'm guessing your not into the magical creatures and such." He scanned her face for a moment. "You seem to like the 'in the building' teaching." The man nodded his head once then leaned casually against the table.

He just grinned back at her. There wasn't a thought in his head to talk further but when he went over the words he had just said he realized that he didn't exactly say what his job was. "I'm the new Gamekeeper, by the way." He pushed himself off the table and stood back straight in front of her. He took the hat he was wearing in one hand and dipped it as he spoke. "Name's Syloh Wolfe." Returning the hat to up top his head, the man placed his hands into his pockets.

He had no expectations for her to remember his name on a later date, so he didn't make a big deal of it. And neither did he of this meeting. There were a large amount of other students, he most likely wasn't going to run into her again. But, hey, it wasn't impossible, so there was still a chance.

Syloh Montgomery Wolfe

[irina graciela villarreal]

;;i. g. VILLARREAL;;

The mere idea of the slender Ravenclaw dealing with some creature twice her size was enough to make Irina laugh lightly - a genuine laugh. "Oh, don't worry. I'm no competition, believe me," she reassured with a tint of mirth. "Of course, if students prefer a teacher who cowers behind them, I might just give you a run for your money." Irina, who had grown to appreciate the vast forest, still shivered in fear at the thought of what lurked in it's most hidden recesses. No, it was best not to find out.

"I'm looking at the post of Potions Master, actually," she tacked on, for once willing to volunteer more information than the one expected.

Irina had always had a flair for Potions. It always seemed so straight and simple to her, a lot like cooking at home. Laboring over a cauldron, fumes wisping around her and the scent of the variety of ingredients was much like her mother's sacred kitchen. Obviously, the fruit of Mrs. Villarreal's work was much more delectable than the vials full of the different brews that were kept in the medicinal cabinets.

When the man introduced himself, Irina felt incredibly rude. How could she forget basic etiquette? It was as if she had vanished common sense out of herself, along with the juice. "My name's Irina Villarreal, it's a pleasure to meet you Professor Wolfe." There they were, her grandfather's teachings were kicking in. In reality, Irina had been completely unaware that there was a new gamekeeper.

"I'm a sixth year," she offered to ease the awkwardness. But then the brunette smiled ruefully to herself. "It's okay if you don't remember that bit. Some of my year-mates thought I was a fifth year until about a week ago," she shrugged, almost as if to shrug off the hint of pain it caused. The aforementioned year-mates had also been convinced her name was Hilda.

OOC--> I'm sorry it's crappy, but this computer is insane. It hates me and erased my post. TWICE.

[.syloh montgomery wolfe]

&.Leaving the smile plastered on his lips, the man was glad not to areadly have his job taken away by an upper class-man student. Syloh shrugged happily and watched her as she spoke again.

Yuck, potions. "To tell you the truth, I was never much of a cauldron man. One of my least favorite classes, but I passed it none the less." Memories flickered across his eyes. The gamekeeper had a certain moment in that class which he hoped would never be repeated. Syloh had a mental and physical shudder. He cleared his mind with a blink and looked back at the girl. "You have the makings of a great teacher." He wanted to explain further on that but the words just weren't coming to mind at the moment.

She returned to the man her name. Ms. Irina Villarreal, yet another name that was new to him. But he just smiled, that is until a certain word left her mouth. Syloh couldn't help himself, the gamekeeper chuckled. "Professor, huh? I have to admit that his one title I haven't heard in front of my name." He slipped a crooked smile on his face and raised his eyebrows for pure false shock. "I guess I'm going to have to get use to it." The man agreed with himself, it was a title that was going to pop up when ever students talk to him so. It was new to him as well. He hadn't heard much else placed before his last name then his first name or a 'Mister'. He caught her last words and removed his hands from his pockets. "I'll remember, I have a good memory." Syloh tapped his head with one finger for laughs.

Lunch time was almost over, and having wasted most of his time away from his tray already, Syloh saw no reason to return to it, he was having more enjoyment here then he would be eating. "So, Ms. Irina, how is your fifth year at Hogwarts treating you?" The most random question, but at the most random time. He was bordering the line of personal and he knew it, The man had no right to press into others lives as so. But it might possibly give them something else to chat about.

Syloh Montgomery Wolfe

[irina graciela villarreal]

;;i. g. VILLARREAL;;

Her eyes lighted up with recognition at the professor's apparent disgust for her predilect choice in a career. It didn't offend her though: she had learned over time that not everybody appreciated the beauty of a simmering cauldron, its contents swirling with magic.

Irina gave a small chuckle, "You wouldn't seem like the type to hunch over a cauldron. That must be why you're the game keeper - out on the grounds," she waved her hand at the open window, which a gave a view of the shimmering Black Lake. "Not sitting inside a stuffy classroom," she concluded. The brunette could relate a bit. The only part she dreaded of her job was spending long work hours down in the dungeons. She had always wondered if she would be able to request the change of classrooom but she doubted that it would be conceded. Too many Potion Masters had taught in those dungeons and, as far as she knew, the majority of them had been Slytherins. It would be breaking tradition.

Professor Wolfe's surprise, or could it be alarm, at his new title made her quirk one eyebrow. Then, biting the tip of her tongue to restrain herself from saying something impertinent, she thought to herself. Of course it would sound strange to him: the idea of being called 'Professor Villarreal' was so foreign to her that it was like 'Professor Villarreal' was a completely other person. Irina felt naive at that moment - she had always wanted to be a teacher but had never actually thought about really being one.

Her smile went unrestrained at his compliment. "Thank you, I'm sure you won't be so bad yourself. After all, you seem to have enough character to deal with the animals that live at this school. And the creatures in the Forest too, of course."

The brunette was only partially joking about the animal bit: more than once had the girl's fifth floor bathroom resembled a special on Animal Planet.

When Irina heard the last (an undoubtedly the most personal up to this moment) question she couldn't help from teasing the professor, knowing the confusion had been a harmless mistake. "See!" she exclaimed. "You just forgot! Asking me about my fifth year when I'm a sixth year.... Are you sure you're apt for the job, Professor? Or is old age getting to you?"

[.syloh montgomery wolfe]

&.The man smiled and nodded. He liked his job very much. Syloh followed the student's hand toward the window. He kept his eyes on the sight. The lake was huge ,open, still. In fact, it was calming and gave him so peace when he walked through and over by the Black Lake. Sighing some he returned his eyes to the girl.

"I enjoy the freedom I have out there." He was always happiest when outside. Maybe it was just the clean air or the sight one could see when just taking a stroll. "I don't have that many classes so I get to do what I want more often then the other staff members." He eyes wondered back out the window. He grinned once more then flicked them back to the Ravenclaw girl.

He chuckled. The gamekeeper had sometimes classified some of the groups of students into animals but it was out of pure fun. "Thanks." The man blinked and smiled still and then nodded. "Yep, and actually, I think I have already discovered the jungle that lives in these walls." All the craziness that went on in this school was truly wild and animal like. Another reason why Syloh liked working outside rather then in.

See saw her facial expression change. He thought back on what he had said, nothing stuck out at him. He raised an eye brow in confusion just as she began to explained. He had called her by the wrong year after she just told him. Damn. He smirked with embarrassment and, as he listened to what else she said, his features hardened. "Oi! I'm not old. And sorry, you just were talking so much about people calling you a fifth year that I was thinking about that when I spoke." He lifted and hand and rubbed his chin. He wasn't mad at her, teasing anger was more like it. He exhaled loudly, "Okay, let me repharse that. How is you sixth year going so far?"

Syloh, lowered his hand and rocked back on his heels. Well, today wasn't going very well for him. The gamekeeper sighed and looked at the girl with an apologetic look.

Syloh Montgomery Wolfe

[irina graciela villarreal]

;;i. g. VILLARREAL;;

Irina nodded when he spoke of being outside. She had grown up within the confines of the Diagon Alley and loved it, but there as something so nice about the outdoors that she come to love in Hogwarts. Maybe it was because of an imagination cultivated by books, but the brunette had always felt that the grounds held a larger air enchantment than the castle itself.

The mention of classes made her remember her schedule. "I don't take any of your classes, professor." She shrugged apologetically. As nice as the class was during the warmer months, she'd had to acknowledge that frozen limbs and an extensive knowledge on Magical Creatures wasn't exactly a requirement for potioneers.

"The jungle isn't always so terrible. At least I'm not, if may say so," said Irina, thinking of her own classmates. "I would tell you who to look out for but House loyalty and all that is big here in Hogwarts. Besides, you've probably already met some of the terrors." Irina hadn't had a detention in her entire school life, but the stories that she heard about them were enough. Midnight trips around the school were not worth a week scrubbing up someone else's mess.

Her siblings had never understood her reasoning. According to them, midnight trips were always reasonable and the detentions brought on could be survived. Irina knew she wasn't as much of a teenager as she wished to be, but her siblings didn't have to be so scornful about her nighttime activities.

Irina grinned as the professor objected to her own teasing. With other teachers, it would have guaranteed her a detention for being disrespectful but the man seemed to take it in stride. In response to inquiry on her sixth year, she shrugged. "It's fine. It's been nicer than the other years," she permitted herself to say without betraying the inner warmth at the thought of this year.

As the brunette caught sight of the professor's weariness, if it could be described that way, she felt a bit concerned. "Are you okay, sir?" she asked, knowing it was bordering on imprudent.