What a day...one of those he wanted to be over with so completely. He wasn't sure what in the world happened, or how it all went wrong; but he was ready for it to be over. However, what surprised him even more was that he was on his way to the library of all places, and with the mission of speaking to Landis.

After the Charms class that went to hell, he spent the rest of his day just sailing through his classes without even looking back, but when it came time for dinner he couldn't really get his mind wrapped around the task of eating without worrying that he went too far. He knew he did, but things were just....hard. He tried to think half the things that were said about him and his classes were just said out of anger, that they were really learning. He saw that they were doing well, and that they were excelling. So it couldn't be true could it? Either way, it sank deeply--hurt more than he cared to admit, and found him outside the library just after dinner.

"Landis?" He called around the mostly empty library, wondering if maybe he should have waited until he'd had a little sleep.

After dinner, Landis paused in his work at the sound of Kesali calling his name.

He emerged from the stacks, stiff and silent even after his eyes had fixed on Gale. It wasn't until he'd strode closer that he spoke, brows curving archly, head turning in question. "Yes?" he asked. The image came to him unbidden of a lost child wandering the stacks, crying, but he didn't mention it. That would have been unprofessional. Landis had no doubt that this conversation was going to be professional - Gale was one of the staff members of whom he was not overfond, and so he kept their interactions to those of business only. Gale's last attempts at small talk had not gone smoothly. Landis hadn't encouraged him to try again.

He was still wearing his attire from before, though without the armor this time. His hands he placed in the pockets of his sweater, and shuffled his slippered steps over the carpets as if to count the space between he and his freedom. Landis Morgan was not like his cousin, at least not by the way he captured rooms by a single smirk, but the man certainly had a way about claiming even the darkest corners of any space. He certainly had a way of making his own heart beat just a few marks faster,

"I gave two of your students detention today, and before rumors went flying. I wanted to be frank with you and tell you what happened," Gale tightened his sweater around him, feeling the chill in the air--a spider had come down out of his web.

"Do you have a few moments now? Or shall I come back later?"

"Ah, fine," Landis said, more interested immediately. "Now is as good a time as any. Let's to my office." He made eye contact with a student shelving books across the open desk space and, with a little gesture, indicated that they should watch the library while he was gone. Then he led Gale with long inexorable strides to the hall beside the counter, and from there to the spartan room he used as office.

Like most rooms in the castle, it was small, cool, and cheerless when left to its natural stone-walled aesthetic. Landis was exactly the sort of man to leave it as such; he had no interest in interior decoration, and to even attempt to soften the room to him seemed a sign of character weakness. No, for him it was an immaculate desk and shelves free of clutter; no personal effects, and the castle portrait on the wall turned around so that its inhabitant could not look upon him working. He found the trappings of comfort a hindrance, and the effect on students when this cool spare man sat at his large bare desk and looked at them over it in a room devoid of any distractions could not be overstated.

There were two chairs in front of his desk. He let Gale chose which he wanted without comment and took his own seat. "And so?" His tones were less clipped, his manner one of mildly expectant gravitas. While never warm, he was clearly listening - a little more approachable than before. Landis took his job responsibilities very seriously, particularly in his role as Head of House. One could never make him admit it but he favored the Slytherin children for more reason than that it was simply expected. He actually liked them. Their twisted loyalties and intelligent ambition were familiar to him even in child form.

In his near six months of being here, it never surprised him to find doors that had never been opened before. Such was the case with the librarian's office. Ever since their first run in, Gale did his best to avoid Landis, though he would often admire he and his better half from afar. It appealed to his romantic heart, to glimpse at least a little bit of humanity, but those thoughts were better kept for different days.

"So I've been accused of being a bleeding heart, and in doing so I've been on a bit of a soul search," He started with a perch on his chair, knowing that he had to start somewhere and with the proffer of his evidence he prepared for the judgement, "I say this only because in today's class. I began with what is to be a very big turn of events." Lord Maker in the Sky, he felt as though he was arguing his case to the Ministry, and there was just something about Landis that made him stumble with his words. However, just as though he were a marionette a hand pulled his invisible strings until his spine was stick straight.

"I'm changing the way I am received and the way I teach. I expected a few rebellions, but I had not expected what happened today. Raine Almasy, was first, and though I think of her bit of an outburst was more due to her own personal sufferings, it still happened. Despite my better attempts I engaged in a crossfire." With the crossing of his arms he lifted his brow and continued,

"A few students suffered minor burns, though truly it was their pride that was wounded the most. I had them take a rope," Lord he couldn't help the smirk that formed still at the mental image of his students walking down the halls on that damn rope, "And by rope I mean a walking aid, because if they are going to accuse me of treating them like children I was going to prove my point." With a wave of his hand he dismissed those thoughts,

"And the point that I'm getting at is a few of your students didn't know when to stop. After a bit of banter with Raine, a few of yours thought it best to have outbursts of their own, throwing insults like knives in my direction, and in turn shaming their house. Frankly, I want nothing more to do with this day, and would like to leave it up to you to arrange their punishment if you see fit. They are entitled to feel as they do, I can not say that I didn't have fault in the matter, but it would have been a cold day in hell before I ever...ever talked back to one of my professors or threw insults so heavily." Gale leaned forward and lowered his voice,

"And for House Slytherin, I would have expected something a little more...discreet."

"A bleeding heart?" he commented, arching a brow again. "You? Never."

"I say this only because in today's class. I began with what is to be a very big turn of events."

Interesting. Landis prepared himself to hear something unexpected. The student Kesali began by mentioning was not one given to pointless rebellion - for a Gryffindor, Almasy was cool and worthy of respect. With this in mind the explanation began to sound more like a confession. He watched Gale evenly, eyes like pale pebbles at the bottom of a stream - he, the patient and inevitable judge.

"What spells were you teaching?" he asked, wanting to know the cause of these "minor burns." There had to be more to the matter than a few injuries. Storm broke fingers in his class and no one dared complain. Of course, the students were likely terrified that if they did next he'd break their arms. Ignan Storm was a very admiresome man and one Landis did not mind sharing castle space with. "Humiliation works only in very select circumstances, Mr. Kesali. Misjudging these circumstances will often lead to such rebellion. If my students were being sharp with you, likely they felt it important enough to forgo discretion." His tone was dry but not accusatory - he was inclined to agree. Arguing with professors wasn't a particularly intelligent course of action. But Landis also remembered well other past professors, like Sandusky, who were controversial figures in the classroom. He couldn't claim that all his students were canny or knew when to hold their tongues, but he was inclined to get more details about what had so roused them to action.

"Can you specify the insults?" he asked. "And the Slytherins involved." Those, he would need to see.

"What spells were you teaching?"

"And that is the true kicker, Mr. Morgan, is that I hadn't even made it that far yet. We had yet to even get to the class. This was all in the halls and in the courtyard. The burns were from Raine's anger, directed towards me. But that is a subject I wish to take up with her Head of House, or even personally." He dismissed the entire thing with Raine, for now.

"Humiliation works only in very select circumstances, Mr. Kesali. Misjudging these circumstances will often lead to such rebellion. If my students were being sharp with you, likely they felt it important enough to forgo discretion."

Gale listened, he fell quiet until all he could hear was Landis' voice and the sound of his own heart beating, but when it came time to deliver names, he sighed.

"It goes against everything in me to even give you that much, I was raised in a world where snitches had their tongues cut out and my father wore their teeth around his neck on strings," Telling the truth he sat forward a little, squirming as he would as a child. He would have never ever considered...tattling, if this wasn't getting out of hand.

"Whitman and Blackwell, Blackwell stormed out before I could hand him his punishment, and Whitman fought me on it. Though...I can not say it was an argument as much as it was he was searching for why. A debate. A smart one that boy. He was nursing one of the other students, and decided it a better idea to reprimand me for my speech instead of keeping his mouth shut though my rant." With a sigh he put his head in his palm to think, having never looked more like his father on a throne before, but no one was to ever know it.

"I can not recall the exact names that were called or even the exact details of what was said," He put a hand over his face to squeeze the bridge of his nose in hopes to relieve the tension in his head, and when it passed he sat forward again.

"But I suppose I wanted to appeal to you first and let you handle it. I'm too angry to properly deal with them, it's a little too personal. And that is the point of this entire thing, keeping those things separate, but....I guess I would have just never, ever, ever spoken to my Professor like that. For fear of being expelled, for fear of my father, and the head of my house." With a touch of his fingers to his chest, he curled his lips in thought,

"I trust you will handle it. Deal with them how you wish, listen to their side of it. Perhaps, I was too harsh, but I'm leaving their punishment up to you. Should there be any, I suppose."

Landis' eyes narrowed, just a touch. "One moment," he said, slowly, deliberate. "Were these burns literal or figurative?" He had assumed that there were physical burns from the lesson plans, but this revelation was bizarre. Either Almasy had attacked her professor with the intent to injure - a very serious offense, especially if it had spilled over to injure others - or Kesali only meant the painful tongue-lashing of a particularly acerbic student.

In which case, the situation became rather less urgent. Landis could not so quickly ascribe this to dramatics but it would be nice to know exactly how seriously he was supposed to take all of this. Had his students been wounded? Or simply had their feelings hurt?

"It goes against everything in me to even give you that much, I was raised in a world where snitches had their tongues cut out and my father wore their teeth around his neck on strings."

Landis just looked at Gale. He wasn't impressed. He was waiting. What precisely did Kesali expect him to do without names, put the entire lot on house arrest? But after his sigh Kesali continued to reveal the students, fortunately before Landis had to get really scathing. It was progress, in a way, Kesali curbing his natural inclination to be difficult. He wasn't particularly helpful when it came to details but he seemed tired of the mess. Exhausted, rather.

Landis clarified, "The students began insulting you after Almasy did, with no provocation?" Something was very strange here. Blackwell, perhaps not the most surprising student. But Whitman? Now two prefects (one former, he wasn't quibbling) were involved. Landis found that significant. He turned it over and over, picking at it in his mind. Perhaps the students would be more forthcoming about the subject over which they'd argued. "I appreciate your turning the matter over to me." In that sense, Kesali was much smarter than his predecessor. "I'll speak with the students. Do not hesitate to inform me should they give you trouble again."

"Were these burns literal or figurative?"

"Literal. I was leading them down on a rope, like you did in grade school if you attended Muggle school at all," He highly doubted it, "Proving a point. It was part of my lesson." He wished that he had something to occupy his hands with, "Most of them took the rope just fine, but after a little stumble I think that Raine just had enough. But again, I want to talk to her Head of House or even go as far as the Headmistress. There were a few things building up to that, but it had nothing to do with your students at this point. Other than they were caught in the crossfire."

"The students began insulting you after Almasy did, with no provocation?"

"When you word it like that, Mr. Morgan, it makes me sound as though I am innocent, and I too have a great deal of fault in this.  My complaint is only that the lack of respect and not listening when instructed. Whitman, had to get the last word in, a trait that will be very admirable in the legal profession, but he's not there yet. He even went so far as to argue that *I* would have to schedule his detention with the new Potions Professor, and see if he had time for it." He scoffed, "If I hand out a detention, than I'm sorry. Whatever fun little task he had planned with her gets moved. Blackwell...Blackwell was just throwing a fit, and withdrew from my class with as much flare and dramatics as any actor. Adding fuel to the fire, instead of just leaving as I had instructed. It's not been easy, this whole professor thing, but like I said before. Despite how crazy or pathetic I thought my professors to be, I would have never acted out like that."

"I'll speak with the students. Do not hesitate to inform me should they give you trouble again."

"I appreciate you taking the time to listen, and maybe I am over reacting, but I felt it best that you handled it. My feelings are hurt, my pride is wounded, and I had a harsh slap with reality recently. My punishment wouldn't come from the right place, and maybe it's not warranted at all. So in this I leave it up to you." Gale by this time had stood to leave, turning only in the door long enough to explain, he was so tired that the room turned a few times before settling properly.

"I'm turning over a new leaf, Landis. I expect you will be hearing a great deal about it, as I'm sure it's going to be so hard. They are rather used to walking on me, or at least expecting me to cater to their needs. But Bran had actually said..." In this he stopped a moment, having to bite back the bile of his wounded pride so much that he could hardly keep his eyes on the other man, but once he got control of the matter he looked back at Landis,

"That he wasn't learning anything from my class, and to me that would be my ultimate failure. I wouldn't keep my position here, and despite how hard it is...I love doing it." He felt silly admitting that, and did so quietly before crossing his arms over his chest to chase away a chill. Landis really needed a carpet in here at least...pictures...paintings...lamps.

Rope burns? Landis blinked, brows drawing together briefly in consternation before his expression cleared again. He had ignored the reference to the activity earlier but now that Gale had clarified he couldn't help but find the practice bizarre and uncultured. No, he hadn't the time as a child between Muggle baiting and Death Eater indoctrination to attend school with the non-magical population. If he was fortunate there wouldn't be any lingering trauma from learning to walk without a leash.

"Wizarding children don't need to follow rope in order not to lose their way, Mr. Kesali," he said, eyeing Gale oddly. Was Kesali joking? Very strange. Very strange indeed. Certainly as Kesali had said earlier it must have been more a matter of injured pride. If his students were acting up over mere rope burns Landis would be disappointed.

The situation was becoming clearer on the nature of the students' rebellion; it was good that he'd pressed. The corners of Landis' lips turned up without moving any other part of his face, making it the grimacy, insincere second cousin to a smile. It was his only response as Gale continued to vociferate. It was difficult to greet news of Kesali's new leaf with any enthusiasm. Though this might be the impetus for Gale to burgeon into a figure of unparalleled professionalism and dignity, Landis - a natural born cynic - could only summon dread.

"I'll make certain to clear my schedule for the hordes of students rushing to complain," he said after a long beat. Yes, yes, educating young minds, life's mission, ultimate failure, yes. Gale was hovering at the door to his office being vaguely sentimental and Landis wasn't terribly comfortable with that. "I'm sure you'll find success in your new venture. For what it's worth, I've never found you particularly willing to cater to anyone's needs."

"I'm sure you'll find success in your new venture. For what it's worth, I've never found you particularly willing to cater to anyone's needs."

"Landis..." Gale actually half grinned in mock surprise, "I kiss their boo boo's when they fall down. I mend their socks. I bake their breakfast. Where have you been?" Looking around at Landis....dungeon office, and lifted his brows in an answer, oh.

"Perhaps if you came off your web a little, Dear Spider, I'd cater to your needs too." He said this while slipping back into the hall, and to his tower, "Thanks for the talk."