"Yes, we're here." The Professor echoed Dimbleby, scrutinising them both with his piercing blue eyes. As it was the end of the day he was looking a little tired, so shadows were accentuated beneath the eyes.

"I am well aware of what taking a walk can mean when it results in breaking curfew." He told them both coldly, "and I have a mind to ensure it is not possible for either of you to take a walk late evening again."

On retrospect, the statement seemed far more threatening to their physical state than he meant, but the suspicion that he was about to kneecap the two of them was satisfying for the second.

"Your absence was noted, and we have been looking for you. While the two of you were busy kissing in the gardens. With the threat of dementors, it was lucky they didn't decide to swap partners with the both of you." He leant in even further to their downward gazing faces as he emphasised the risk.

"You quite understand the importance of curfew, or do I need to remind you like idiot first years?" He raised his eyebrows and then set back on his feet slightly to regard one and then the other expectantly.

Nobody could deny that Professor Storm was intimidating. Intimidating, condescending, terrifying -- he was all of the above. The fact that he was now breathing down the necks of Jai and his girlfriend was more than a little bit alarming. He listened as Jordyn recited what they had been doing, mentally trying to tell her that she was doing fine. Jai hoped that his answer hadn't seemed too short in comparison.

Their excuses did not save them from Professor Storm's lecturing, and Jai began to realize that nothing they could say would defend them. Maybe the lesson here was that they were supposed to take responsibility for their actions. "We understand, sir," Jai answered. "We're sorry to have worried anyone." It wouldn't happen again, that was for sure -- he knew that if he ever lost track of time, after this experience, Jordyn would be checking her watch incessantly.

He looked over to Jordyn, hoping she was doing alright, but with his head bowed down the way it was he couldn't tell. There had been so many things he wanted to say -- they hadn't been making out (at least not that much). They hadn't seen any dementors -- but then again, it was dark out, and Jai could understand the worry. His stomach was in knots from guilt, embarrassment, worry, fear...

Jordyn was the first person who would have reported a missing student at check time.  She knew that.  It was embarrassing to have gone from one of the most responsible students probably ever to worrying people and skipping out on curfew for a date.  It was right for the Professor to be angry with them, but that didn’t mean it felt good. 

She felt ashamed and embarrassed, particularly as Professor Storm insinuated that there was more to the story than they were telling.  Jordyn’s cheeks burned, she didn’t want to be that girl.  It was scary to think other people might hear about this… She hoped Professor Storm would be discreet… she didn’t imagine he had many friends at school, but she never knew what the professors talked about in the staff areas. 

In less than twenty-four hours she could go from being serious and on a path for success to being silly and boy obsessed.  Her heart was beating out of her chest and she felt tears starting to well up in her eyes.  She could barely make eye contact with the professor, let alone answer him.  Her throat was all choked up and she was trying desperately not to let tears fall. 

Jordyn Dimbleby did not cry – she definitely did not cry in front of a Professor, or Jai.  Instead, she nodded vigorously, squinting to try and keep the tears from falling down her cheeks and shifted her feet.  “Will there be a consequence, Professor?” Jordyn asked quietly, her voice teetering on the edge of breaking into hysterics.  She’d never gotten in trouble before and now she knew why: it was a terrible feeling. 

Maybe he was enjoying this, just a little. But as he looked from one to the other, he thought of a slightly different tact with these two.

"I am disappointed in you both." He informed them coldly, "two of the brightest Hogwarts students setting such a bad example." He let out a discontented sigh, though it was less put on, more genuine than his lecture had been.

"Five points from Hufflepuff and Slytherin, and If you must 'enjoy' each other's company," his lip curled at the expression, "return well before curfew. Should you be caught again, I have need for two assistants over Hogsmeade weekend, and can keep you both occupied on different evenings with all manner of tedious, irritating tasks that will use up that precious free time."

He snapped forward towards both of them to give them a start,
"Though you'd prefer them I gave them to irritating little third years, I'm sure." Taking a step away from them and raising his wand to relight the full corridor, he looked back to them both.

"Well, don't just stand there, to bed!"

The threat of losing their Hogsmeade weekend was a very legitimate one, and Jai kept his mouth shut during the entirety of the professor's lecture. Professor Storm was a very intimidating man... Jai wondered what his home like was like, briefly wondering if he had any children of his own. When the hallway lit up, Jai looked around, blushing and a bit mystified. How had this night taken such a turn?

"Thank you, Professor," Jai said, grateful for the mercy shown to them. They had not gotten a detention, which was the usual consequence for sneaking around after hours. Though he and Jordyn hadn't necessarily been 'sneaking' so much as 'accidentally sneaking,' Jai accepted the consequence. Five points were not too many, and he was now determined to earn them back in one of his classes. Without saying anything to Jordyn, he began to walk down the corridor, hoping she was tagging behind him. He wasn't really sure what he would say to her after they were out of the professor's earshot.

Five points, perhaps he was getting soft. No, the truth was Dimbleby and Patil were two who would heed warnings, and perhaps in light of recent developments in his own life which the students had no indication about, he was a little more sympathetic to the exciting, wrapped up world of feeling like you were 'in love' as a teenager. It was so many long decades ago for Professor Storm, and he was wiser for it, but as long as it did not get out of hand for these two, then there would be no harm. Just distraction.

If their grades dropped, if they were caught again, he would take no mercy in having their evenings filled with tedious, irritating detentions to split them apart until the term ended, but for now, the frighteners and the expression of disappointment would be a shot across the bows.

Exit Professor Storm

Jordyn’s jaw dropped.  Five points was practically nothing, she could earn them back easily.  The worse part of the whole thing, honestly, was that Professor Storm was probably going to look at her differently in class.  He was going to be disappointed in her. 

It felt like a hex to the stomach.  Her head remained lowered in shame and Jordyn still felt tears in her eyes, though the urge to have them spill out had gone down just a little bit when she knew there was no detention involved.  “Yes sir,” she replied quietly and looked to Jai quickly (trying not to appear as though she was), before she turned on her heel – the bark of the professor for them to get to bed ringing in her ears.

She did not want to linger in the stairwell any longer.  Dipping down, she grabbed her wand (head still bowed) and moved quickly, making light steps to not disturb anyone else as the torches flickered back on, lighting the way.  Glancing behind her (only when she thought she heard footsteps going up the stairs), Jordyn sighed. 

She whispered:  “we should go to our own houses – no dallying,” she informed him curtly, also trying to still the shakiness of her voice.  Looking around, she lifted her watery eyes to look at him, “Goodnight, Jai,” before making quick work of getting to the Slytherin common room before the tears started to fall. 

Exit Jordyn