The summons had come even before he'd made it back to the dorm to start packing his belongings.  The house elf had appeared out of nowhere and handed Blossom a note, telling him that his presence was required in the library by his head of house, Landis Morgan.  He couldn't help but notice that the elf had a second identical note.  It didn't take a Pureblooded genius to figure out that this likely had something to do with the abortive duel he'd fought with Rico Posada.

He was probably getting expelled.  It was just how the curse worked.  If Blossom had been aware of Murphy's Law, he likely would have assumed that Murphy had been related to the Posadas by marriage and had discovered the law by watching the Roses.  He turned and headed up the stairs instead of down, climbing slowly.  There was no point in hurrying to his own expulsion.

But he hadn't done anything.  Rico had pulled off spells Blossom hadn't even heard of, let alone knew how to cast.  He'd only tried to disarm the blood traitor Posada boy but he'd ended up hanging by his heels.  At every turn he was being outclassed, out matched and outdone.  Perhaps it was for the best that he was being expelled.  That way he wouldn't have to deal with Casey O'Doherty for the next four years.

As much as he delayed, he knew that he would eventually have to face the music.  Face the music....  Such an ironic term, given Rico's insistence on singing and playing at the drop of  a hat.  Any hat.  With a sigh, he pulled open the library door and sought out the man who was going to kick him out of Hogwart's.

"You sent for me, professor Morgan?" he asked the librarian, by way of announcing his arrival.

Rico was munchin' on a a biscuit his mm had sent him by owl, he missed her cooking. It was later that evening, Rico was done dueling the pistashios put of his roommate, he simply wanted to relax. crack a house-elf apparated in front of him. She was short with tiny ears, for a house-elf anyways. She spoke in a squeaky voice. "Twinkle has a message from the Librarian for you sir." She handed him a tiny scroll. He took it reluctantly, it was probably a request for him to come and meet him, just 'cause he was a new student. He was terribly mistaken. "Thanks Twinkle." She disapparated.

He untied the string around it. It was a summons from Professor Morgan, about his duel with Blossom that afternoon. "Now I'm gonna get it" Rico said to himself, putting his head in his hands. Pushing off his knees, he got up from his seat in the Slytherin common room and headed down to the library, searching aimlessly for 10 minutes he finally reached the door.

Blossom stood there already. Rico ignored him completely, and walked to the other side of the room. "Professor Morgan, sir? You sent a message for me? Donde esta?"

What a headache. Brawling on the very first weekend of school.  Landis, ensconced behind her desk like a blonde scarecrow all in black, was annoyed that discipline had been called into her Saturday.

The incident had only happened a few hours ago, but word traveled fast from first-year tears to sympathetic staff ears. The whole thing was a convoluted mess, a slew of first-years punching and throwing off spells like a pack of little savages. Unfortunately Landis was responsible for a few of those little savages and so had had to call them in. Posada had apparently been casting spells that had no business belonging in a twelve-year-old's repertoire, and the Rose boy had shot off a spurt of thorns that scratched and bit. It was excruciatingly obnoxious that the two seemed to have objected to the other's presence so soon. Landis was appalled at their lack of decorum, but mostly irritated that Sandusky now had cause to smirk at her during tomorrow's breakfast.

Rose was the first to enter. What an unfortunate name for a boy - even worse than Erin's. That family seemed to have an unholy obsession with botany. Of all the things to be known for, a preoccupation with flowers was not what she personally would choose to advertise, but, well, there he was. Blossom. Or perhaps Buttercup. Landis couldn't really remember. She ran cool eyes over him and then transferred her gaze to the Posada child, who came in speaking Spanish. Very interesting. Especially when combined with the Irish accent.

The extra chairs in her office had been removed. Landis did not move to produce any, nor motion them to sit.

"I have heard an account of this afternoon from other's lips; now I want to hear it from yours," she began, without preamble. Her tone was deceptively even. "Mr. Rose, go ahead." She raised a finger to Rico. "You'll stay silent until he's done. He will afford you the same courtesy when you're speaking."

Yes, they were a pair of problems, wrapped up in a feud and dropped into a house of vipers. Only this house of vipers was incidentally also a house of students who had lives and studies, headed up by a man who didn't need this shite, all of whom had better things to worry about than whether or not they were going to wake up to a cracked lake ceiling because some brats couldn't keep their wands to themselves. (Landis didn't very much care for children. It showed.)

So it was a problem, and so early in the year. She could only hope one of their new housemates had been so good as to point Landis out to them the night of the Sorting Ceremony, and that the children would not be surprised later when he returned to his usual shape. With any luck they'd accept this as a crazy quirk of their new home and not question her about it now. Moving staircases, resident ghosts, men turning into women... Hogwarts. What a magical place.

Blossom stood at something that approximated attention.  Hadn't his head of house been male at the welcoming feast?  Maybe it was just something peculiar that Landis Morgan chose to do in his or her spare time.  It wasn't quite as strange as the winged horse teaching astronomy but it was up there.

"It started peacefully enough, I suppose.  Rico dragged me into a game of football with the first year girls.  The game was tied and we took a break, which was when we all spotted Diedre Timkowski playing the violin.  I mentioned that I'd met her on the train and that she was under my protection but the other first years didn't seem to believe me.  Rico put me in a headlock and threatened to punch me and to shove my wand up my-" Blossom paused, wondering how to put the threat delicately "-up my butt.  I threatened to smother him in his sleep if he put me in a headlock again and told him that he was acting like a mudblood for threatening me with his fists and called him a bully.  He called me a pansy, which is a clever pun, I suppose.  Then we had a duel." 

Blossom looked at Rico, hating to admit the next part even if it was true.  "He's a lot better than I am," he finished lamely.  "After he let me down, I told him that I'd be moving my belongings into a different room so we wouldn't have to see each other every morning.  Then I headed down by the lake to be alone.  A little after that, the house elf brought me a note that I was to come and see you."

It didn't sound all that bad, when he said it but he was certain that the professor would have some questions.  He'd covered most of the important parts as far as he was concerned.  He couldn't recall exactly what was said but he'd gotten most of it.  Was there anything else?  He wasn't sure.  "If you need other witnesses, Dessa Share, Dilly Morris, Annette Lotusorder and Rico's sister were there.  Diedre and a couple of other people were sitting under some trees and they didn't really get involved until near the end.  I'm not sure who saw what but somebody saw something."

Now there's a brilliant statement it there ever was one, you idiot.  'Somebody saw something'?  Moron.  "That's everything I remember," he said, looking from Rico to Landis and wondering if there was anything Rico could say that would get him expelled.  He didn't think so.

"You'll stay silent until he's done. He will afford you the same courtesy when you're speaking."

The words had almost formed on his lips, but he bit his tongue and let Blossom speak first, hating him every second.

"It started peacefully enough, I suppose.  Rico dragged me into a game of football with the first year girls.  The game was tied and we took a break, which was when we all spotted Diedre Timkowski playing the violin.  I mentioned that I'd met her on the train and that she was under my protection but the other first years didn't seem to believe me.  Rico put me in a headlock and threatened to punch me and to shove my wand up my...up my butt.  I threatened to smother him in his sleep if he put me in a headlock again and told him that he was acting like a mudblood for threatening me with his fists and called him a bully.  He called me a pansy, which is a clever pun, I suppose.  Then we had a duel."

How much Rico wanted to yell at Blossom that his so called "protection" was claiming another human as his own. What sick twisted little boy does that? He wanted to laugh in Rose's face and say that he regretted no shoving his wand where it belonged. Or how he wanted to pummel the dweeb until he was 6 feet under. The duel was not even all that fair, Rico had years of experience and 60 pounds on his "roommate"

"He's a lot better than I am"... "After he let me down, I told him that I'd be moving my belongings into a different room so we wouldn't have to see each other every morning.  Then I headed down by the lake to be alone.  A little after that, the house elf brought me a note that I was to come and see you."..."If you need other witnesses, Dessa Share, Dilly Morris, Annette Lotusorder and Rico's sister were there.  Diedre and a couple of other people were sitting under some trees and they didn't really get involved until near the end.  I'm not sure who saw what but somebody saw something."

His tongue had gone numb by that point and he lashed out. "Leave my sister out of it Rose! and the only reason I invited you to play football is because you... you... You were so sour and I pitied you, I wanted you to feel good in this new place, but no, I have nothing but a deep feeling of inner chagrin. "  If he weren't only 10 feet away.... Rico turned back to the librarian. "Ms. Morgan, The only reason I did most of those things is because Blossom was egging me on and throwing the M word around" It felt a bit to juvenile to replace "mudblood" with "the M word" but that was not a word Rico used, he found it stupid and politically incorrect.

Rico straightened his Green tie. "He was saying things like "I call dibs" Like the Hufflepuff girl was his and she was something to be traded and bought. It was utterly disgusting." He was getting up to the good part. "and I quote" he liked that one, he felt like a lawyer in a movie. "You have the name of a Pureblooded family but you act like you were the Mudblood here, threatening me with your fists.  That's fair, given how much bigger you are.  You're just a big bully.  You drag me around like I'm some kind of pet.  I played your stupid football because you wanted me to and all I get from you is grief.  I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm a Pureblooded wizard and proud of that fact.  You act like you're ashamed of it.  At least your sister understands."

He shook his head hating saying every word of it. He had a wonderful memory and he remembered almost every word he spoke that earlier afternoon. "He was provoking me ma'am, and I will not, will not let my family name be disrespected as such!" His eyes shot daggers in Blossoms direction.[1] "So that is what really happened."

He felt he had proven his case, but a warm sweat was dripping down his neck, was it because of the heat in here? Was he nervous? He couldn't possibly get expelled, could he? This flower would be brought to justice. The so called witnesses were on Rico's side, at least Annette was.

1.	FIGURATIVELY!!!!

Ms. Ma'am. An astute observer would see the tic developing under Landis' left eye, but she didn't correct him. An explanation was more trouble than it was worth, she told herself. The younger children usually wanted to know why and how; the older ones were nightmares to keep on topic. It wasn't worth it. He didn't know. Landis resisted the urge to close her eyes and pray for patience. This would be over soon enough. She resolved to track down Posada sometime next week, though, and smile at him.

"Chagrin," she drawled. "I see." She eyed them both, her mouth a flattened line, her gaze cool and assessing. Landis rarely had to administer actual punishments; usually, she didn't need to. She prided herself on her searing stare and the absolute artistry in the ugly sneering curl of her lip; sarcasm was her greatest weapon in an environment where corporal punishment would get her fired. Oh, but she'd give a detention today. She had an excellent one in mind. After all, she had a reputation to uphold. She preferred to let the trepidation stretch first, though - see if the two had anything more to say before she passed judgement.

Rose was more rational than Landis had expected from a child his age. In comparison, Posada seemed hot-tempered and rash. He was also annoyingly moral for a pureblood Slytherin. The "M" word, indeed. If Rico had been in another house, she'd be more inclined to pat Blossom on the head and send him on his way. Thus came the great ethical divide between what Hogwarts condoned and what Landis Morgan condoned. Being a Head of House, she'd found, was all about compromise.

"Mr. Posada, I do not accept excuses. You are the one in control of your actions, not Rose." Her next words held special significance as well as scorn, delivering a lesson all pureblood brats had to learn. Hogwarts was not their parent's house. "Mr. Rose, I would advise you to watch your mouth in mixed company. Unless, of course, you enjoy being dangled by your ankles."

"The honors of both your families have yet to be proved to anybody. I hardly believe they exist after this disgraceful display."

Blossom's face flamed red but somehow he managed to hold his tongue.  Morgan wasn't, after all, calling his family honour into question, he/she was just pointing out that his actions reflected poorly on the family honour.  He swallowed, twice, to make certain that his voice was steady when he spoke.  He didn't manage to keep all the quiver out of his voice but he kept most of it out.

"I understand, professor Morgan," he said, electing to use the gender neutral term, rather than something that might  offend him/her.  "I have disgraced my family name by my actions.  I stand ready to receive whatever punishment you deem necessary."  He could not meet the professor's eyes, not that he wanted to try.  Instead of defending his family honour, he had made things worse.  Whatever the Rose reputation was around Hogwart's, he had reduced it to tatters.  He wanted to blame Rico but Morgan was right.  He had done it himself.

Morgan's comments hit him like rocks, insulting his choice of words. After Blossom's through but-kissing session Rico spoke up, yet more humbly than before. " I do not believe in false excuses, only the truth. But, I also will receive any punishment you seem fit for me" He made direct eye contact, the librarian's death stare made his stomach churn uneasily. You could see the discomfort on his face as he spoke.

Would they write his father. Would Father stand by what his son had done, or would he be ashamed? But even though he was trying hard not to use anymore childish terms he had to ask a silly question. "Are you going to write our parents?" He already knew the answer: Yes.

But his father didn't go to Hogwarts, he was trained in a private Spanish wizard school. The establishment had since closed, so his father was much more apt to send him to Durmstrang, but his mother had swayed his decision. He wished he had gone to Durmstrang. It was all men, like him. No creepy he/shes running around like at Hogwarts.

"Are you going to write our parents?"

She raised a blonde brow pointedly. "Do you think your parents need to be bothered with news of an incident that I'm sure won't happen again?" 

For anyone else, certainly she would have written: Landis believed in the motivation of a double-sided attack. But for the feuding families of these two? It was bloody unlikely. They'd undo all of Landis' punishment with their lavish praise, and she didn't want anyone to convince these boys that their actions had been justified.

"As for your punishment - the caretaker has informed me of an issue within the castle. The undetectable extension spell on the forth floor boy's bathroom seems to have malfunctioned, violently expelling all of its contents. The spellwork has been fixed, but the bathroom itself is still rather a mess. I understand the footing is quite treacherous." Though perhaps that was an understatement.  "Cleaning supplies will be provided. Of course, you will not be expected to clean the whole bathroom." She smiled, all thin lips and narrow teeth. "At least, not in one evening. And since you apparently can't be trusted not to provoke one another into a brawl, I'll also silencio the both of you for the duration of your detention. You'll meet me here at 7 this coming Monday night, and I will take you to the bathroom and then leave you to it. If I come back and you have not completed your percentage for the evening - or if, say, there have been any misunderstandings between you two that prevented your being done on time - I will personally sling you up by the ankles in the forest for the acromantulas instead. Do I make myself clear?"

It should be exhausting enough work for the boys, filthy and soul-sapping and 100% unlikely to leave them enough energy to fight one another through it. Perhaps they'd learn how much easier it was to finish the task when they worked together - especially since Landis did not intend to leave enough cleaning supplies for both.

"You'll be working without wands and without voices, so I suggest you learn how to tolerate one other." She leaned forward over her desk, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "In the future, consider how much easier it would be to just expel the both of you. There are no second chances in Slytherin house."

She was mocking him again, but Rico knew better to yell at a teacher.

"As for your punishment - the caretaker has informed me of an issue within the castle. The undetectable extension spell on the forth floor boy's bathroom seems to have malfunctioned, violently expelling all of its contents. The spellwork has been fixed, but the bathroom itself is still rather a mess. I understand the footing is quite treacherous."

Rico's eyes bulged. What was the world coming to? She explained to them that they... were supposed to clean the bathroom, without magic? They had to be silent the entire time? How was this supposed to be a lesson not to fight. We didn't even have to talk to eat other.  There was no second chances. Rico shuddered at the thought. If he got expelled, he would go hide in the black forest in Germany and become the next young Tarzan.

But now... they just had to clean up shit.

"Understood"

"Professor, wouldn't it make more sense if we are supposed to learn to get along for us to be able to talk to each other?  If we're not supposed to use magic, wouldn't it make more sense for us just to leave our wands with you for the evening?  The only thing arguing would do is make the job last longer." 

Blossom didn't have an issue with manual labour.  He'd grown up doing it in the gardens and had long ago learned how to work with his hands.  The Rose family routinely used manure as fertilizer, so cleaning the remnants of an overflowed bathroom wasn't going to be any real hardship for him.

"I'm sorry, did I need to spell that out explicitly for you? Of course I'll be taking your wands." As if she would really leave them to the boys, particularly since this task was intended to be mostly unsupervised. When a staff member said that a detention would be served without magic, generally that was what they meant. Except for the Gryffindors, she supposed, who might be honorably thick enough not to use what they'd got.

Wouldn't it make more sense for him not to question the one who could make his life a living hell? Students did not get a say in their own punishments. Oh, these boys were so painfully earnest. Learning to work together was a minor bonus. Making this more difficult was the obvious one.

"Lack of proper communication breeds creative solutions, Rose," she drawled, tone colored by sarcasm and the faintest sneer. Children generally bounced back pretty easily from things, Landis had found. The task was disgusting but if they could navigate frustration and shite together without speaking they'd probably end up liking each other more than they currently did, or at least have gained a new understanding of the other. Rose realized that arguing would be counterproductive , but did Rico? And would either of them remember it if the conversation turned to their precious family honor? "Let's just say I'm removing the temptation."

"Understood,"  Blossom said with a nod.  He, and Rico as well, had screwed up badly enough that the only suitable punishment was going to be shoveling shite with his hated rival.  He would have offered to do the whole job himself just to avoid working with Rico but that would have gotten the arrogant Spaniard off scott free.  They'd need to work together and if they were to get the job done as quickly as possible, they would need to co-operate.

  He was already beginning to consider possibilities but he needed to have more information.  He looked at Rico for a moment, then back at professor He/She.  Communication would be key.  "Are we permitted to discuss plans beforehand or are we required to go in blind?"

Landis gave him a Look. "I don't care what you do, Mr. Rose," she said. If the boys wanted to deliberate on this together, fine, that was productive enough. She certainly wasn't going to discourage their working together.

She waved a hand indifferently, the harsh line of her mouth smoothing out in neutrality. "Dismissed. I'll see you both on Monday."

Blossom bowed to Landis, looked at Rico and then left the office.  He wanted to get a look at the bathroom and discuss a few things with Rico before the had to get started.  If they worked together, they could probably knock it off in no time at all.  It would just take a little hard work and some planning.  It would also require some co-operation and that would involve trying to get Rico off his high horse.  If he grew up in the family business, Rico would have no problems shoveling the effluvium that had flooded the bathroom.  It would just mean getting their robes dirty.  And smelly.  One couldn't forget the smell.

We'll need shovels and squeegees.  And a few other things....