Ignan had got on very well with Herschel, so he had been initially dismayed to hear the news he was stepping down. The two wizards saw eye to eye on matters of education and discipline, and it had been a pleasure to work with him the past three or so months in setting off with the Tetrawizard Tournament.

However, he was surprised, and a little elated at first to hear of the chosen replacement. A reinstatement of sorts, Minerva McGonagall, a woman who was near furniture in the castle. This had been followed by a period of self-doubt that he and the rest of the staff would measure up well to the post-batte of Hogwarts measure. This Tournament was about as close to 'war' as the school had got since Voldemort.

The revolving staircase took his feet to the landing just outside the door, a location he had sat in on regular, friendly but professional meetings with Reid, and before that, the occasional visit to explain his actions to Snark, or leave a student for a higher authority to deal with. These days, he tended to deal with them directly than bother the inhabitant. That might change again.

His knuckles rapped firmly upon the door before he pulled his shirt sleeve back into place beneath his three-piece suit and academic cloak. Although Saturday morning, it wouldn't do well to address his new employer with more casual attire. For despite his fleeing self-doubt, he had a considerable amount of respect for the witch who now occupied the office behind the door.

Hearing the command to enter, he seized the door handle and stepped within, eyes taking in the transformation of the office, though its familiar book cases and stairs were in place, and the walls were still filled with headmasters and mistresses previous.

"Professor McGonagall," Ignan greeted as warmly as he could muster, and inclined his head politely. "How are you this morning, have you found everything in order upon your arrival?"

After a late night and a very early morning, Minerva was feeling a bit drained. A cup of very strong coffee sat on the ancient desk before her, black. Minerva took sugar in her tea, but found a strange liking to the taste of unadulterated coffee, relishing in the bitterness. The school at large was still blithely unaware of Minerva’s presence; she wasn’t planning on making a public appearance to the student body until Monday at breakfast, but the staff had been made aware in advance of when she would be arriving.

The office had finally been put together, though her personal quarters were still a complete mess. She simply hadn’t had a moment to spare for unpacking. Most of the early hours of the morning were spent going over various papers Reid had left for her. He had truly been an efficient Head and Minerva was saddened to see him go. Her heart went out to the man, losing a child was a feeling she could never imagine.

Her signature flew across the bottom of a page just as a knock came at the office door. Stifling a yawn, Minerva called out to the visitor. When Storm entered the room, Minerva swiftly stood to greet the Deputy of the school. “Professor Storm, welcome,” the Headmistress said, directing the man to a seat in front of the desk. “I’m well, thank you. Everything is up to par; Headmaster Reid was certainly on top of things. Please, have a seat. Might I interest you in some coffee, tea?”

Though she had slight reservations about the Deputy Headmaster being of foreign descent, his skill was undeniable. She was quite glad he had chosen to visit, not only did she desperately need a break from paperwork, she also had some things to discuss with the defense instructor.

Minerva was already hard at work with the paperwork Reid had left for her. The smell of coffee reached his nostrils from the desk before him as he sat down.

"Coffee would be fine, thank you." He uttered politely, folding his hands into his lap, and he crossed one leg over the other.

"You are already hard at work, I see. Is there anything I can be of assistance in regards to?" Ignan gestured with a hand to the paperwork on the desk. "Or would you like me to gather our colleagues together to meet you formally before classes resume?" He asked politely, taking care to keep on side with this initial meeting. It would just suit the reporters to hear that he'd got himself sacked as the Deputy Head. That sort of story wouldn't go without hearsay with the Durmstrang students and staff also at Hogwarts.

Not that he feared that sort of situation, but one could never be too complacent, or, to his understanding mess with Minerva McGonagall.

Minerva stacked the papers in a neat pile and pushed the pile to the far corner of the desk. She replaced the lid to the inkwell and waved her hand to the pot of coffee simmering in the opposite corner. The pot lifted of its own accord and swiftly poured a cup of the steaming java for the esteemed professor. She took the spectacles from her face and laid them on the desk as well and then she rubbed the tiredness from her eyes. No need to stand on pleasantries with her second in command… they might as well be comfortable.

“That would be very helpful, Professor,” Minerva said. It would be good to get the staff together, make sure everyone was on the same page and to make sure the staff understood that Minerva ran a tight ship and there would be no space for foolishness. “I suppose it would be best to give them a bit of notice, so we’ll say tomorrow. The staff room should work well for a meeting place. Could you find a time that’s suitable for the staff and let me know?” She asked politely.

She could have done this herself, obviously, but she had learned long ago that delegation was highly important in a role such as hers. Plus, Storm had offered and she wasn’t the young witch she once was. “Also, I wanted to speak with you a bit alone. Let you know that things will be quite a bit different for your post with me,” She smiled at the man, the expression feeling foreign on her face after such a depressing couple of weeks.

“Herschel Reid dedicated all of his time to Hogwarts, and though I will always put the school and its students above anything else, I have other obligations that may pull me away for days at a time. I need to know that you can handle things. Do you feel that you’re capable of running the castle in my absence?” Minerva asked mainly because she didn’t think Storm had ever had the mantle of power placed on his shoulders, even though circumstances might have called for it on numerous occasions. 

"... Could you find a time that’s suitable for the staff and let me know?”

"Certainly Headmistress." Ignan replied respectfully, dipping his head slightly as he acknowledged.

“Also, I wanted to speak with you a bit alone. Let you know that things will be quite a bit different for your post with me,”

Ignan's eyebrows raised and he reached for the cup of coffee feeling for the temperature to make a judgement on how long it would be until he could drink it. It was also a good indication of how long someone wanted to keep your presence - the temperature and size of a cup of hot tea or coffee.

“Herschel Reid dedicated all of his time to Hogwarts, and though I will always put the school and its students above anything else, I have other obligations that may pull me away for days at a time. I need to know that you can handle things. Do you feel that you’re capable of running the castle in my absence?”

About to raise the cup to his lips, Ignan put it down and frowned thoughtfully.
"I can only do my best for you, Headmistress. Reid ran a tight ship, and I found it easy to support him with that. I know that I cannot be elected your replacement at any time, so it is always in my best interests to ensure Hogwarts is safe, secure and well managed in your absence. Should you ever feel it is not, you must inform me immediately so I may remedy it."

Perhaps a little over sincere, but better that than under.

"Are you to be away very soon, that you know about?" Ignan asked, deciding it was safe to take a sip after his question, but added, "Have you everything you need, or is there anything I can bring you up to speed with?" instead before finally raising the cup to his lips and dropping eye contact briefly.

Headmistress McGonagall shook her head slightly. She had always been a master at reading people, but she simply couldn’t get a good read on Ignan Storm. She couldn’t tell if he was merely being efficient at his job, or if he had ulterior motives and that kept Minerva on her toes. “No, professor, so far I have no complaints and you’ll be sure to hear of any issues that may arise,” She said with a slight smile. Minerva was a blunt woman, to be sure, and she had no issues telling her staff when she was dissatisfied with their performance.

“As of now, my time is completely free, so to speak,” She said and paused to take a small sip from her mug. “However, as an Elder of the Wizengamot, there may be times in which I’ll need to leave the school. Large trials sometimes run for days and I can’t not attend, much as I’d like to skive off.” She said, giving the deputy head a playful wink.

“Also, as it’s about halfway through the year, I’d like to go ahead and start staff evaluations soon. Other than Herschel’s notes, I’ve nothing to go on, and as I don’t know most of the staff on a professional basis, I may need your assistance.” Storm might as well get used to Minerva rather quickly, they were sure to be spending quite a bit of time together over the next couple of weeks.

Professor Storm smiled briefly in response to the wink. This was going well so far.

At the mention of staff evaluations he raised an eyebrow.
"That's fine Headmistress, do let me know when and who you wish me to accompany you on interviewing. Would you like staff to prepare full sets of lesson marks for you ahead of these meetings?"

They seemed to have fallen into the trap of talking formally about the job immediately, trying to get the measure of each other without stepping outside of the professional boundaries. This sort of merry dance was familiar to Ignan who played it with the majority of his colleagues until he felt they were worthy of the extra attention and occasional moments of humour.

As for Minerva, it felt slightly odd. He'd had a good relationship with Herschel, and it had saddened him to hear the news of his family situation and see the man so affected by it all. Ignan had always respected Minerva McGonagall from the stories and press coverage he had read. He had ended up in Britain just as the wizarding war was beginning to take hold, not long before Potter had taken down Voldemort finally, and had experienced that period in British magical history first hand. He was glad he hadn't stuck about too long before going home.

"Headmistress, with the risk of this sounding pompous or gushing, may I express what an honour it is to serve as your Deputy. It was a pleasure to assist Herschel, and to take care of things as best I could in his absence, but I know how very important it is to have a Hogwarts leader who also grew up here. The decision to reinstate you was wise. You are exactly what Hogwarts needs."

He bit his lip and let the smirk take the edge off the statement,
"Not everyone can outsmart three visiting Head Professors, but I believe together we have the measure of them. I'm game if you are." 

Minerva shook her head slightly, holding the cup of coffee with both hands. “I shouldn’t think that’ll be necessary,” she said in response to the gentleman’s questioning, “There will be plenty of time for them to gather their marks later. Taking their scores this early would prove fruitless and only confuse us all. Though we can discuss this all further tomorrow at our meeting with the rest of the staff.” She said, waving a hand dismissively.

She was quite happy with their conversation, Storm was filling out to be quite a competent Deputy, though Minerva could hardly find out personal details about the man when all they were discussing was staffing and school related issues. The Headmistress had always found that the true testament of a professor’s skill was in their life experiences and their personalities, not necessarily in their age or their credentials.

When Ignan started pouring out compliments, Minerva sat her coffee down on the desk and placed both hands on the desk, one atop the other. She looked the man directly in the eye, leaned slightly forward and said, “Thank you, Professor Storm. Hogwarts has been my home since I was a young girl and I’m hard pressed to admit that I’ve missed it quite a bit the past few years.” Minerva had never dealt well with compliments, always waving them off and downplaying her amazing skill, but she had found that sometimes people just needed to hear a little thanks. Plus, the best way to get information was to give information first.

"Not everyone can outsmart three visiting Head Professors, but I believe together we have the measure of them. I'm game if you are."

Minerva allowed her harsh features to relax and her face lifted automatically into a warm smile. “Oh, come now, professor. Surely your only interest is to promote international magical cooperation,” The elderly witch was obviously joking. Anyone that had ever met Minerva McGonagall knew that she was an extremely competitive woman, and she would do whatever it took to ensure a Hogwarts victory.

“Oh, come now, professor. Surely your only interest is to promote international magical cooperation,”

A smirked turned into a good-natured chuckle.
"Of course. Cooperation that they're all inferior. Many may assume my loyalties are misplaced due to my schooling, and family ties to Durmstrang, but I care for nothing more than to see Hogwarts win, and prove it doesn't matter about your history, only the present."

He meant it in several ways - firstly that he tried not to think too much on the eighties and nineties where although he was having a ball and eventually in the arms of the love of his life, due to what underpinned his income and his activities, and subsequently understood other's needs to forget past choices, and secondly because he despised anyone riding on the success and reputation of hundreds of years instead of getting off their backsides. Studying at any of these four schools did not accurately indicate intelligence, but it gave the opportunity to develop it if a student desired.

"You may ask of me whatever you require, Headmistress. Should you ever have any doubt as to my support to Hogwarts, you are only to say." Ignan dipped his head respectfully.

"I can report there are no disciplinary matters we need you to look into in the short term, and I have kept the records up to date for your examination. There have been some inventive punishments," He explained, a hint of amusement on his face, "Sandusky chained two together at the wrist, and Kesali had arguing fourth years write each other compliments." He didn't mention his own methods of hanging students upsidedown by their ankles, most of his more original ideas were against Hogwarts policy but run of the mill at Durmstrang.

She chuckled at Ignan’s playful banter; truthfully she’d want nothing more than a Hogwarts victory. It was just what the wizarding public needed to show that Hogwarts was as strong as ever, despite the rumors of a hexed headship and weak administration.

Minerva looked at her deputy thoughtfully, trying to find a way to respond to the man that both kept up their playful banter and showed her seriousness. “Professor Storm, if you should know one thing about me, know this: I put very little stock in one’s heritage. I’ve employed creatures and beings, humans and halflings. I daresay you’ll find that I could care little less about what school you went to, as long as you can teach our students with unbiased superiority.

"I can report there are no disciplinary matters we need you to look into in the short term, and I have kept the records up to date for your examination. There have been some inventive punishments,"

Minerva nodded her head in understanding and took a sip of the bitter brew. It seemed as if things were running smoothly at Hogwarts. She even had some prospects for the open Muggle Studies position. It was simply bad timing that the old professor had resigned just as Herschel was stepping out, at least there would be a seamless transition there if Minerva had anything to say about it.

"Sandusky chained two together at the wrist, and Kesali had arguing fourth years write each other compliments."[/li][/list]

“And did those things work, I wonder?” She said; not sure if she totally approved. “In my day, a detention was sending the children into the dark forest for some real danger, or manual labor. Though I suppose as long as the children aren’t bleeding, I won’t complain.”

“And did those things work, I wonder? In my day, a detention was sending the children into the dark forest for some real danger, or manual labor. Though I suppose as long as the children aren’t bleeding, I won’t complain.”

"Pity." Ignan echoed quietly, "Pain is a very solid, long term reminder of sins." He quoted his father without consciously realising until he frowned at himself. "At least that's what they believe at Durmstrang, though we have enough manual labour to go round what with the Caretaker leaving soon after Herschel. No shortage of students to do it for detention either. The records are there for review, anyhow. I don't feel you need to discuss them in depth now, not on your first full day."

He gave a polite, restrained smile.
"As for their effectiveness, perhaps that might be something to enquire upon during your meetings. I can't say I have seen particular results, but students know to behave in my classroom." Well, perhaps ninety percent of the time. The ten percent remaining sat regular detentions, and some were getting very good at cleaning out the animals in the tanks without any magic.

"Is there anything in particular that you wish to know about in any detail, Minerva?" He asked curiously, "The applications for our vacancies will have been passed to you by the governors I hope. I have seen the original owls."

Minerva raised an eyebrow quizzically at her deputy’s statement. “I’ve found that pain and intimidation only increases anxiety and resentment, which are not values we encourage at Hogwarts. Fear and pain do not equate to respect, and that is why this is Hogwarts and not Durmstrang.” Minerva delivered the lines flat and without emotion, though the warning was plainly evident. Ignan Storm would do well to understand what was and wasn’t acceptable at Hogwarts.

“I’ve a few questions, Ignan. What are your views on our staff? Are they working as a team, showing a unified front for the visiting schools?” Without acknowledging any movement at all, Minerva had leaned forward in her seat, arms resting lightly on the desktop, as if she were waiting to hear some juicy bit of gossip or some terribly deep dark secret.

Noticing her less than professional position, Minerva sat back lightly and tried for an air of nonchalance, “And also, Professor, I’ve only received one letter for the caretaker post, was there a mishap with the transfer, or is there simply no interest in the post?” She had never thought she’d regret the day that Argus Filch left Hogwarts, the blithering idiot of a man that he was, but she found that he had been very good at his job. Few could fill his shoes, even those that could ably perform magic.

“I’ve a few questions, Ignan. What are your views on our staff? Are they working as a team, showing a unified front for the visiting schools? And also, Professor, I’ve only received one letter for the caretaker post, was there a mishap with the transfer, or is there simply no interest in the post?”

"One letter?" Ignan remarked, the point interrupting his inhalation for responding to the first question. "I'm surprised on one hand, but then again, its a post for a rather particular type of individual." Minerva's deputy gave a slight shrug. "Its advertised in the Daily Prophet visibly, I can review the wording for you, see if we might tempt a few more...?" He got the impression it might not be required though - with any luck the sole candidate was a shoe-in.

"Views on the staff? Well. I wouldn't like to give you false impression before you made your own assessments." The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly, "But as for working as a team, they have their moments. Its difficult when there have been replacements and changes in the past couple of years, my appointment included. Nothing your strong leadership, our strong leadership cannot handle." The corners curled further and then he made a point of straightening his face.

"The Heads of Houses are exemplary. The students consider Sandusky to be a little unhinged at times, but that's more due to their misguidance about age affecting brainpower. Trishna takes pastoral care past the call of duty, Morgan keeps the Slytherins in line with apparent ease, Leviathan is either overjoyed or hiding in her office over your appointment." Ignan's gaze drifted upwards to the ceiling, past the bookcases as he thought through the faces of the staff.

"You're familiar with Hagrid, Hooch and Longbottom, of course, Jowd is possibly the most enthusiastic of the lot, incredible given his subject matter. Cosmos, Reid, Vaillancourt I've no bother with at all, and Kesali I aforementioned with the unconventional detention. I don't wish to give you preconceptions, at this point in term we're moving past 'hardly knowing' to being able to irritate each other with our habits and opinions and feeling safe to be irritated." His mind had thought to the more recent disagreements.

"Have you heard something that I can clarify, with regards to that?" Ignan asked politely, folding one hand over the other on his knee, and looking intently to the Headmistress.   

The headmistress put her index finger to her lips and shook her head slightly. “No, no need, professor. I’ll set up an interview, and if the bloke is simply unfit for the position then we can regroup and try for something else. It’s not as if it’s an extremely difficult post,” Minerva paused, refusing to finish her thought. “I might have a couple strings left to pull, if it comes down to it.”

She listened carefully as Ignan described the staff. Having been on the board of governors, she had, of course, made her own assumptions, but she valued the opinion of others, especially one as intelligent and insightful as Ignan Storm’s.

“One hears many things being in my position, Ignan. To repeat them would take far longer than we have this morning, and besides, the academic world is a fierce one. The truth isn’t always immediately evident.” Minerva gave the man a small wink before finishing her cuppa. She glanced to the grounds in the bottom of the cup and wondered momentarily what they would say if someone were to read them. A load of rubbish and nothing more.

“Professor, is there anything else you need from me?” She asked politely. It was important for her to put his fears at ease in the first meeting. He would, after all, be her second in command and if he had doubts, it would spread like wildfire to the rest of the staff. 

Ah, with luck he would rather enjoy serving under Minerva McGonagall, Ignan thought, delighted.

“Professor, is there anything else you need from me?”

He paused a moment, and then shook his head politely,
"No, Headmistress. I'm sure in due course we will both have needs of each other, but my primary concern is to assist you on arriving here. I'll summon the staff for the meeting as intended."

Minerva's Deputy gave a prim nod, and then sat forward in his seat, as if readying to stand up.

"I'll take up your time no longer, Headmistress. Should you need me, I shall be about."

He found his feet, inclined his head once more, and gave leave of his new senior.

End