Follows from here

The walk through the castle had been hurried and silent, Tapendra herding the two students through the empty halls. Thankfully, it was past curfew, the last of the party goers finally in their dorms - or mostly, anyway. The sound of talking echoed off in the distance, but Tapendra avoided the main pathways through the castle.

The castle seemed darker and more foreboding than usual - the shadows were deeper, the candles burning with a cold, sterile light. It might have been an effect for Halloween, but it still felt oppressive and worrying. But as flustered as he might have been, it was likely nothing compared to the worry of the two students he escorted.

Necromancy! Tapendra wasn't sure how to handle this logically or emotionally at the moment. Hopefully Ignan would be more rational - and hopefully Bevans would get rational, too. He doubted her mouthing off to either Storm or Sandusky would produce good results, given the second's reputation for taking wands away at the first sign of insubordination...he was still probably a better person to mouth off to than Storm, admittedly, whom had been known to hand children from the rafters.

They came to the door to Ignan's office and classroom, and Tapendra knocked. He had to hope his Patronus had reached the two Professors; if not, this would be even more awkward than it was already guaranteed to be.

"Professor Storm?" He called, as he opened the door and shooed Sasha and Katy through. "Apologies if we interrupt anything.."

At first, Leopold wasn't willing to credit the message but the chances of a student being able to duplicate the Patronus of a professor made the chance of it being counterfeit extremely remote.  it was lucky that the Hallowe'en Ball had wound down.  He was able to slip out to his office and strip out of his Santa Claus costume quickly.  It would not do to confront a student who had erred so badly while wearing something so festive.

Rushing was not a common activity for men in their eighties but there were certain circumstances that warranted it.  This was one of them.  He wasn't exactly running but he was going the closest thing possible at his age.  This was something that needed to be nipped in the bud before these students were too far down a very dark path to ever return.

"...your presence is required in the Deputy Headmaster's office as soon as possible."

Undoubtedly some high spirited students had run riot, and presumably had broken or committed a deed that required more than a head of house. Part of Ignan was dismayed at the thought of having to prolong the evening with all the students trailing back to bed after the celebrations, and the staff in various guises too. He'd managed to avoid things as far as possible, keeping a watch on what wasn't happening in the main event.

Then again, there was an unease in Tapendra's voice from his patronus, though at least it wasn't a summoning to the hospital hut. They might as well prop Tulojow's door open day and night at the rate things were!

The candles burned low in the classroom beneath his office, and he left the door open ajar, clearing his desktop a little as he waited for Tapendra to appear. Books made their way back to shelves and paperwork into string bundles. As he heard footsteps beyond in the classroom, he pointed his wand silently at the sandtimer on his desk which turned over and slowly began to pour from one side into the other.

"Professor Storm?"

He was stood behind his desk when Tapendra knocked and spoke. The door came fully open and figures entered, Bevans and Schlagenweit, well, technically..., then Tapendra. Joy, a partial family reunion, plus Katy.

"Apologies if we interrupt anything.."

"Nothing that was pressing." The Deputy Headmaster replied smoothly, gaze examining one student face and then the other before turning to Tapendra with an intensity of a cat examining prey before it pounced. "Did you find these two in the rose bushes enjoying themselves, Professor?" He tilted his head and glanced to Sasha and then Katy, checking their faces for blushes, and how they related to each other. Nothing a dose of sarcasm wouldn't help with, he believed.

Further footsteps, Sandusky this time.

"Professor, do come in, Professor Trishna, were you to explain this meeting, or is that down to Schlagenweit and Bevans to do so?" He remained stood - no point making a troublemaker comfortable. After all, those two wouldn't be looking like they were if this was a reason to praise them.

"I'd like an explanation as well,"  Leopold said, his eyes boring into Katy.  It had been a while since he'd had to use the full force of his 'disappointed and outraged father' glare but he was still more than capable of it.  He didn't ask for a chair, despite the fact that his leg was throbbing.  He just leaned a little more heavily on his cane.

Mild disgust flared on her face when Professor Storm suggested that she and Sasha had been snogging outside during the Halloween Ball.  Nothing could be further from the truth and, ironically, a part of her was insulted that that was the first thing a professor would think about her.  When had she ever been that kind of girl? 

All of the adrenaline from the night's activities had completely run dry.  Katy was so incredibly tired that shame was the dominant emotion in her now.  She hated to be thought ill of.  She tried so hard to be good and this is where she ended up.  Her hands were dirty with dark magic and the eyes of the professors seemed to pin her down.  Katy swallowed but didn't speak.  She offered no explanation, just stared at the floor some ways in front of her. 

Tapendra entered the office rubbing his forehead and with a quick but nervous smile. He stared at Ignan in surprise at the man's question, something that might be a blush appearing on his face for a moment. "Nothing so cheerful, no," he said, with a sigh. The other two wanted explanations - and, as he looked at the children, he realized he wasn't so sure he wanted them to war over explaining the basics.

"Professor," he greeted Sandusky, habitually. He drew his wand, locking and muffling the doorway.

"I -" He looked at the two students for a moment, and then he sighed. "Likely best if I explain, sirs, and they can give you the details," he said, crossing his arms. It was difficult not to fall into his usual habit of agitated fidgeting, but there was a time and a place.

"These two left the ball early, and didn't return to their dorms afterwards. So I went looking for them," he explained, tone that careful one of someone retracing his steps. "I didn't think they'd be together, but - I found them in the Forbidden Forest, after curfew. They were..."

He trailed off a moment, then scowled darkly. "They were attempting necromancy, sirs. It's still - the circle and items are still there. They're set up in the glade where - the glade where Grosvenor was found." For the uninitiated ears of Sandusky and Bevans, 'found' was the only detail they really needed, there. "I found them before they were able to complete the spell, but..." He looked at Sasha and Katy and shook his head.

It was two weeks shy of a year since Sasha had made a similar somber, dread-filled walk to the Headmistress' office.  He could remember, with vivid detail, how certain he'd been then that he was getting expelled.  And, if it was still Headmistress Snark on the other side of the door, he was certain there would have been no hesitation this time.  She'd have sat there, with a victorious grin, and shuffled him back out the door without a second thought.  He would be on his way home to ...

To what? 

Sasha walked into the Deputy Headmaster's office behind Bevans and Professor Trishna.  He knew, despite his best efforts to straighten himself up during the walk, his face was still red and splotchy.  And, he would have given anything for a comb.  He stood just behind and to the side of Professor Trishna, leaving the Professor between himself and Bevans.  Bevans seemed to have grown more humble and quiet during the trek through the castle but, if she started mouthing off at Professor Storm, Sasha wanted it to be clear that they were collaborators and not much more. 

Bevans was quicker in deciphering Professor Storm's implications and, while disgust flared on Bevans' face, confusion briefly replaced Sasha's somber, ominous look of resignation.  It wasn't until he glanced sideways at Professor Trishna and noticed the blush that he realized what Professor Storm had implied.  "What?  No!" he blurted.  "I didn't even-" He still didn't know her first name. 

He grew quiet as Professor Trishna provided an overview, visibly flinching and closing his eyes when the man spoke of the location.  Everything still felt so empty, so unresolved.  His eyes still closed, he missed the Astronomy Professor glancing towards him but he heard the sentence trail off. 

"It wasn't the full -"  Sasha started to explain, his voice still hoarse.  "We ... we were just attempting to talk.  Nothing more.  And, we weren't going to do anything ... harsh."

"I didn't intend to slide down that slippery slope,"  Leopold said, his voice heavy with sadness.  "I was just standing at the top.  It's an old story, Mr Schlagenweit.  The dark arts are very seductive and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  No matter how noble your intentions, the dark arts have a way of twisting them.  The history books and indeed the grave yards and Azkaban are full of dark wizards who thought that they were the exception to the rule and they could just dip their fingers into the pot once, without getting burned."

"I'd like an explanation as well," Sandusky echoed gruffly, directing his irritation towards Bevans exclusively it seemed. Instead the girl seemed to shoot the Deputy Headmaster a filthy look for suggesting she and Schlagenweit had been having a merry time in a bush. Sasha tried to complain in half finished sentences.

After Sandusky arrived, Trishna locked and muffled the doorway, and Ignan turned his head from watching it happen to Sasha and Katy in turn, his expression darkening - this didn't look good.

"I - Likely best if I explain, sirs, and they can give you the details. These two left the ball early, and didn't return to their dorms afterwards. So I went looking for them, I didn't think they'd be together, but - I found them in the Forbidden Forest, after curfew. They were... They were attempting necromancy, sirs."

Ignan folded his arms slowly and listened intently, a heavy feeling in his stomach began to grow, wondering how far they had managed to get.

"It's still - the circle and items are still there. They're set up in the glade where - the glade where Grosvenor was found. I found them before they were able to complete the spell, but…" The heavy feeling had gone icy cold within him as he fully understood what Trishna meant. His eyes were now solely resting on Sasha. What had he been thinking to do that, to try and bring Ava back?

"It wasn't the full - We ... we were just attempting to talk.  Nothing more.  And, we weren't going to do anything ... harsh."

Leopold got in first.

"I didn't intend to slide down that slippery slope, I was just standing at the top." The Head of Hufflepuff explained in a different tone, "It's an old story, Mr Schlagenweit.  The dark arts are very seductive and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  No matter how noble your intentions, the dark arts have a way of twisting them.  The history books and indeed the grave yards and Azkaban are full of dark wizards who thought that they were the exception to the rule and they could just dip their fingers into the pot once, without getting burned."

Ignan's eyes darted to his colleague and he flinched ever so slightly. Sandusky was whiter-than-white it appeared, poor sod, he'd not lived.

"We shall get to the bottom of individual reasons later." Professor Storm cut in smoothly, his voice just loud enough to be heard, not angry, but firmly disappointed. "This is a most serious accusation Professor Trishna," He pointed to his good friend, the Head of Ravenclaw and then moved his finger to point at Sasha "One which Schlagenweit does not dispute," the finger pointed now to the girl, "Is this correct Bevans? You were attempting necromancy in the forest?" She was staring at the floor resolutely, "Look at me girl!" He snapped his fingers and stepped round the edge of the desk towards her to ensure he had her attention.

"Professor Sandusky is correct, intentions are twisted when dark magic is in use, and this revelation of your extra study time," he looked pointedly to Schlagenweit, "is misguided." He stepped back behind his desk again.

"Perhaps the two of you have agreed a story, but we will not allow you to recount it together. Professors, are you prepared to take each of them alone to pursue the motives and how this arrangement came to be between them both? I doubt either of them were prepared to sleep early, so take all night to extract it out of them if required."

Split them, then inspect the scene, Ignan considered, verify what had been set out and whether this was a dummy attempt to raise the dead or one with serious intent. Schlagenweit wasn't usually as stupid, it could be a Halloween stunt to scare Bevans, or some other event. It was hard to remain impartial, given the circumstances between them both, but he had to. Trishna and Sandusky were experienced enough to at least gain some initial explanations if Ignan then gleaned worse out of them later on having sighted the clearing.

Veritaserum, legilimency, or even beating it out of them later was a distinct possibility, but he wasn't at Durmstrangs. Besides, there they'd laugh it off and Ignan would have instructed on how to improve the ritual - not that he had any wish to raise the dead. They could stay there.

Katy jumped when Professor Storm yelled at her and took a half a step backwards because he invaded her space and snapped his fingers in her face.  Her eyes pricked with tears yet again but they did not fall.  She was terrified, as well as ashamed.  It showed plainly on her face.  She couldn't do much more than gape a few unspoken words before she finally nodded in response to Professor Storm's question, just so he would move on and leave her alone.

He wanted to extract the information from them.  It was like he wanted to cut open their heads and dig the words out from midst their brain-matter.  Katy's stomach roiled at the thought.  It had never occured to her to lie to the professors about this.  She and Sasha had been caught red-handed.  There was nothing they could do to get out of trouble now. The only thing they could do was explain themselves.  But would Professor Storm be satisfied with that or would he continue to scour for motive long after they'd emptied themselves?

He didn't want to hear their reasoning now, though.  He wanted to separate them to get their stories.  Katy looked at Sasha, her face settling into a calm, if somewhat thin and wavery look of certainty.  They both knew what happened.  The only difference was their motivations for doing so, which Katy still didn't know on his part.  She pursed her lips and turned to Professor Sandusky, her head of house, without further expression to her comrade.  Still she said nothing, too ashamed of herself to know what to say.  She just clenched her fingers into the fabric of her skirt and waited to be told what to do and where to go.  She'd messed up enough for one night.

"Miss Bevans and I will talk in the hall,"  Leopold said, looking at Katy.  "I'll make quite certain we won't be overheard.  Professor Trishna, would you be so kind as to open the door?  I assume you will be inspecting the scene, professor Storm?"

He took Katy's elbow and steered her towards the door.  It was Hallowe'en, the night when the walls between worlds were at their thinnest.  He had his suspicions as to what the pair had been up to but he wasn't going to jump to conclusions or ask any leading questions.  He wanted Katy's answers to be honest and straightforward.  The degree to which they followed that model would help determine what punishment he would mete out.  He didn't want to expel her but it was certainly on the table.  Only her answers would determine if they stayed there.

Tapendra nodded, silently, to Ignan's question to him. Placing a hand on Sasha's shoulder, he glanced down at the boy, offering a faint and, unfortunately, none-to-confident smile. This was going to be a long night, he felt - and one that was going to be quite painful. They'd work this out, but...to what end?

His thoughts echoed Sandusky's, though with an added twinge of fear; he didn't want to expel Sasha. Where would the boy go? He'd probably go to the very man who'd likely convinced him this was a good idea in the first place, and become...he didn't really know what Sasha'd become, but half of him suspected Sasha would wind up dead. Or worse, turn into a dark wizard without even realizing it.

He looked at Sandusky in surprise at the man's words, though, an eyebrow raising. "With all due respect, Professor, might I suggest you speak with her in a more..." He paused to find the right word. Private? Non-public? "A more confidential location than the hall?" He asked, looking not at Sandusky, but at the obstinately silent Katy. "Were I a student, being talked to in such a public place would not incline me to cooperation."

"I highly doubt we will see much traffic down this corridor at this time of night but if you insist that the conversation take place in utmost privacy, I'm sure I can arrange that,"  Leopold said.  "It seems, Miss Bevans, we will be taking a longer walk than originally anticipated.  My office, if you don't mind."

He didn't see the point of taking such dramatic steps but rather than argue with the clearly flustered Trishna, he was willing to move his conversation to the next floor down.   The trip would take its toll on his creaky knee but he would overcome.  "You will let me know when we are reconvening to discuss this situation further, professor Trishna?"

A flash of color rose in the Ravenclaw's cheeks and he could feel his jaw stiffen, slightly, at the comments from the Head of Hufflepuff.  But, he bit his tongue and took care not to even look in the man's direction.  Seductive?  There'd been nothing seductive about the night's activites; Sasha couldn't even find anything seductive in any of Malvivicus', or his employees', teachings.  This evening had been an act of desperation, not some blind pursuit of seducing power or control. 

But, Sasha knew better than to voice his thoughts, especially to a man who'd stolen a boy's voice for simply voicing what everyone was bound to find out, anyway. 

Sasha was certain he could feel the weight of Professor Storm's gaze every time the man it fixed on him and it took a considerable amount of control to not fidget too much.  And, when Professor Storm commented on Sasha's use of his study time, Sasha couldn't resist glancing uneasily in Professor Trishna's direction. 

They were being separated.  And, if Professor Sandusky was right, Professor Storm would be going out to look at the clearing.  The potion and the half-burnt firewood, were probably already growing cold in the October air.  Sasha assumed the Hufflepuff still had her locket; the trinket box he'd brought was, presumably, still submerged in the potion, sitting at the bottom of the cauldron in whatever state the potion would leave it in.  His bag, too, had been left behind with the second portion of all the ingredients they'd use when they'd repeat the process with Bevans' mother.  The necromancy books were also still nestled in the bag - concealed by a variety of charms he'd learned from Mr. Morgan and Kronos.  As effective as they might be, he didn't doubt for a moment that Professor Storm would be able to lift them. 

Sasha looked, briefly, in Bevans' direction watching as the girl seemed to edge once again towards tears.  He continued to watch the girl, quietly, as Professor Sandusky directed her towards the door by the elbow, only looking away when he felt the hand on his own shoulder. 

"Sir," Sasha acknowledged, his voice still taut and hoarse.  He was in no rush to embark upon the coming conversation but the sooner he was out of the other two professor's company, the better.  Loss of composure in front of Professor Trishna (or anyone) was bad enough; doing the same in front of the other two men seemed significantly worse. 

"Leopold you will take Miss Bevans to your office or some suitable location to interview her, and Tapendra Mr Schlagenweit to yours. I will go out and clear what remains of their experiments. Should I find what Professor Trishna has informed us, then we shall look forward to filling your free time away from supervised studies with polishing and scrubbing. That will keep your hands and minds busy." His tone was sharp, and he reached for his long cloak and gloves.

"Schlagenweit, this will also mean your Prefect status will be retracted at the discretion of the headmaster - or in circumstances, perhaps at my own discretion. The two of you risk removal entirely from the school for this." His eyes slid from Sasha to Katy, and he added a little more quietly, "a situation that would be counterproductive given the motives."

Sweeping his cloak around his shoulders, he nodded to his colleagues.