Redoing of Ruff Time from previous, that thread was stopped on mutual agreement due to Wolf Moon Events and how Never Trust a Monday went with it being redone at a later date.

Lucinda stood at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the Headmasters office, could she be bothered to climb them? She was exhausted and weak by this point, not to mention wet. She had trailed one long puddle from the grounds with herself. She supposed she should go up the stairs, someone had told her to see the Headmaster, she didn't remember who, but after not going to lessons today or yesterday she supposed it was worth pointing out she hadn't been kidnapped as of yet.

After getting no sleep the previous night, either through crying, fear of sudden kidnapping, general restlessness and nightmares. Or a combination of any of them. She had decided that the best way to get herself awake was to go out for a morning run, or jog, or something. Then to go back to shower and try going to lessons, she had completely failed the previous day to go to lessons and she was already behind on work enough as it was. She really didn't fancy redoing the year.

However upon her actually getting outside, she had gotten to the grass and then fell. She didn't hit hard or anything, the ground was slippery and she just...didn't stand up again, staring at the world. She didn't even notice it had been raining still or that now half the day was gone until someone pulled her out of it and said to see the Headmaster.
Did they even say to do that or was it just her first thought?

Again she didn't realize she was drifting off, until she was suddenly snapped back into reality when her body entered an intimate relationship with the door to the office as she slammed into it. Leaving most likely a wet imprint on it. Atleast she supposed she didn't need to knock, the thud should be sufficient to alert that someone had arrived at the door.

Regardless of whether she was invited in or not she went to open it and enter into the room, its not like she would hard to force out if she wasn't wanted. And if she wasn't wanted or he wasn't in, leaving the door unlocked was a very silly thing to do. Any student could sneak in and steal a book on...what were the books on? She didn't know how much the books got changed, likely there is still a book on sherbet lemons and their history from Dumbledore's time.

"Hello?" She half said as she entered, more mumble then noise. Dressed in now soaked black jogging trousers and hoodie, both useful for keeping warmth in even if she kept claiming she can stand the cold. Like the great lakes cold. Having warm and snug clothing still helped, although they weren't like that anymore. Her eyes were red and sore from the previous night not to mention the wind and rain.

She could look worse, but she has looked much better in the last 24 hours.

Merlin's beard. The headmaster looked up from a stack of third year essays, which were defying the conventions of comprehensible language, to see Lucinda Temple slide into his office proper, out of uniform in the middle of a school day. She looked wet. Why was Lucinda Temple wet? Was she ill? Had she caught magical measles? There had to be a good reason she'd been reported missing from all her classes yesterday.

"It's eleven in the morning, Miss Temple," he informed her with furrowed brows. "Thursday. Are you aware?"

Knox opened a drawer and pulled out a tin. He took of the lid and set it in front of Lucinda on the desk. It was soda bread, thick, dense, and just a little sweet, cut into little palm-sized sliced. Hopefully hearty enough to pull Lucinda back from whatever death she was flirting with.

"Your classmates are with Professor Darkfall in Potions. Why aren't you with them?"

It took a moment to register what was said to her. Was it 11AM already? It wasn't dark outside anymore but how long did she stay outside? She couldn't of been hours right? It didn't make sense in her head that so many hours could just vanish without her realizing. She didn't fall asleep either or she wouldn't be so tired still. Either way she wanted to sit down again.

She moved towards the chair but noticed how wet she was, numbly she moved her wand and started spiraling it at herself with a small mumbled incantation. Hot air blowing out of her wand to dry herself quickly before she just collapsed into the seat infront of the Headmasters desk.

"I know its Thursday." She muttered softly. "I thought to say I'm still alive. I've not been kidnapped yet." She looked at the can of Soda bread but then looked away. She didn't really think she could stomach to eat anything at the moment and not find herself tasting it again in a few hours.

"I was meaning to go to class but...apparently I've missed them." She sighed and rested her head back into the chair, her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. "Yesterday i was all over...I think I should leave Hogwarts." She let her arms rest to their sides, the wand dropped from her fingers but she didn't notice it happen. "It will just be easier for everyone, you won't have to worry about me. I won't have any work to do. Not many know about me being a werewolf." She thought about how many knew, then remembered the SAWS incident. "Except about a thousand students."

Knox couldn't help but feel a smile tug at the corner of his mouth; Lucinda Temple had a way of putting things. She was full of twists and turns and one found oneself swept along for the ride. But yes, she was probably right. Not many. Just a thousand.

Usually things like chronic absence-from-class were the purview of the Heads of Houses and Knox had certainly done his share of that sort of counselling. There was usually a reason beyond the expected youthful need to be off having fun. Sure, it was often a factor, but it was more often a feeling of being overwhelmed, unwanted, bored, home troubles, friend troubles, anxious, or depressed. Shutting down or exercising some defiance made sense in those cases. It wasn't often that the cause was I'm a Werewolf And A Liability.

"I wish I could say that your leaving Hogwarts would stop me worrying, but I am completely sure that wouldn't be true. It would probably have the opposite effect."

Knox had found in his relationship with Lucinda that telling her 'no' flat out when she proffered bonkers ideas didn't get either of them far. It seemed better to talk it out. He took some of the thick sweet bread and had a bite.

"Where would you go? Back home to your parents, do you think?"

Where would she go? Its a decent question, but fairly obvious...she would go home...but she could also go to America and try hunting...but she can't use magic right? Would they allow her if she started working? Would it even matter if she's in America? Its not like they would send people after her with all the things going on. Right? The ministry likely couldn't afford to send the WCU on a manhunt across America, and the trace only alerted your own country?

"I'd go home, find a job, maybe in the ministry, save money. Go to America." She said slowly picking up steam, a bit louder and more like herself with less time to mope.

She could manage on herself, she knew some spells for dueling, she knew potion. She was a werewolf so she should be able to find the werewolf. Especially if they were in london. She figured finding an American Werewolf in London would be relatively easy.

She could apprentice off someone she found in a bar and go along with them on adventures, just like in books, although books often failed to mention things, like how she would miss home, she would likely start missing hogwarts, it also was usually painful in those books, walking half the country, getting thrown about alot, getting saved last minute by the teacher saving them. Then about halfway through the series dying and having to go on your own...

She slumped back into the seat looking deflated, having slowly risen as she got more confident in her thinking. Her dream of storybook adventure breaking as she mumbled a grumpy and not really meaning it. "I hate you." In response for the fact she actually had to think through her plan before doing it. "Just ruin more of my dreams. Next you'll say there is no Santa Clause."

Knox listened with some weary interest at Lucinda's plan which was short, sweet, and more complex than the few words it took to tell. He leaned on his elbow and then dusted off his fingers of crumbs.

"You hate me, stars, I haven't even said anything this time," he said. "Perhaps my eyebrows betray me."

The Headmaster didn't think she actually hated him although he might understand if she did. He was the first and biggest old codger in the world telling her where to be and what to do and no you can't run buck naked in the Forbidden forest on a full moon night. It didn't help that she was always coming to him with the most horrible ideas. He had four new grey hairs since she'd come along.

"I'm not here to stand in the way of your plan, just delay it a little while. Maybe, what time is it... " he looked over at a clock and made a show of telling the time. "Three and a half years?"

He shouldn't teaser her, but he at least amused himself when Lucinda hadn't stopped showing signs she was a runner.

"No one is required to attend Hogwarts, but until you turn seventeen the choice lies with your parent or guardian. Get some O.W.L.s under your belt next year and you can apprentice. You might recall Ambrose Pepper."[1] Knox knew very well none of this was at all satisfactory and that he had, indeed, pulled the beard off her Santa Claus.

1.	Ambrose left Hogwarts after 5th year to become an apprentice beast handler.

There was a chance to leave! She could go do other stuff then being a student! This was good news! On the downside there is a year and a bit wait, but waiting that long to start learning under people in the field was much better then waiting for 4 more years and then only if she got lucky with her exam results. As lets face it at this rate she'll be lucky to get passes in the normal owls.

But it did mean she could start working at a job and if all goes well, she'll be guaranteed it after education right? Like she won't have to go through being a junior whatever upon going for the job after hogwarts as she'd already have been that during apprenticeship...thats how it works right? It sounds good so she'll go with that. It seemed more positive a thing to think of then the fact that she'd have spent ninety percent of her life in that one job and only have them as her group of friends and no one from Hogwarts as she bailed and that she'd be quickly thrust into a world she wasn't ready for when she should be having fun. That of course couldn't ever lead to social awkwardness or psychological trauma despite how well they tried to keep her from those things if she went WCU or Auror.

It was a dream come true!

However regardless of all that dark thinking She did sit up straight and seemed much more cheerful with the thought of an apprenticeship. Or about as cheerful as a moody werewolf teen who hadn't eaten in almost an week could be. She didn't look on the verge of breaking down maybe?

Santa was dead but the Easter Bunny kept on laying eggs.

"Do Aurors or the Werewolf Capture Unit do apprenticeships?" She asked in a more eager manner. Just one more summer and she could be out of the castle. Of course she didn't hate the castle, it had its charm. Charms. It was very..stoney and castley. But she did want time away, alot of time away, Christmas was not the time she wanted to be there. So the first chance to get out she'll take which was...

"Oh, I know you said like...to me and Greer not to stray too far from the castle. But that doesn't mean we are locked in during Hogsmeade weekends right?" She hoped not, she'll find a way out if she had to but that was effort better spent just going with everyone else to Hogsmeade. OH SHE COULD CONVINCE HIM!

"I mean it would also be Greers first trip to Hogsmeade, you wouldn't want to deny the chance would you?" Set up the standards, he'd let Greer right? So if Greer is allowed, why wouldn't the girl who is believed to be a flight risk be allowed to the village where she could very easily bolt to the ministry and possibly the country before anyone notices she's gone. Besides what is the worst that can happen in Hogsmeade?

Again with the WCU! It absolutely boggled the mind. Lucinda couldn't seem to remember that she was terrified of them one day to the next. Knox removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was hard to know what was more challenging, Lucinda's fury or passion.

"I don't know where to begin..." he said but not loud enough or with sufficient effort to stop Lucinda's momentum. The thought of Lucinda fetching coffee in the Werewolf Wing turned his stomach. On their previous trips there to endure the full moon, she'd nearly clawed a hole in the wall. But before he knew it, she was onto another topic.

Hogsmeade weekend. He'd plumb forgotten. This, well, this was easier wasn't it. He leaned back in his chair to get a better look at the calendar tapestry with embroidered schedules in shimmering threads. Oh, well, the next one wasn't for a month. Eleven and twelve of February, looked like, the weekend after that full moon.

He turned back around and clasped his hands on the desk. He slid his glasses back onto his nose and peered at the eager girl who sat on the edge of her chair. She'd gone from sulky to sweet in record timing.

"Alright, Temple. What's in it for me?" he asked, just a hint of mischief in his eye. In reality, the prospect slightly terrified him. First of all, since when did Lucinda give a lick about Greer. Second of all, last month's full moon and it's bloody aftermath still hung heavily over everything - no progress at all on what had become of the Dunnigans, no word on if there were to be more abductions. Third of all, Lucinda had only three breaths ago been plotting her escape from school.

He wanted to make a deal. The Headmaster had turned into Rumpelstiltskin, although by the lean she'd guess more that he is now a Crossroads demon and that was more terrifying. All teachers were demons but she'd figured he would be a demon king or something. Could she even offer her soul? Only Dementors took souls. And according to some mutterings at the Ministry apparently wives but how'd they get that magic she wasn't sure. Not even lethifold's took souls.

"I don't have a reason to run anymore. If I can start working and getting practical skills for hunting down the bas-" She cut herself off and rested back into her seat. "For staying here and doing Auror work." Nailed it. "Instead of another almost four years then whats the point in leaving." Atleast until she got spooked by the next attack in the news but hopefully that is a bit away. Atleast a month until she is dreading every breath may be her last.

"I'll buy you something from Zonko's or Honeydukes." She said despite the fact that as Headmaster he can go to Honeydukes at any time and unaware of the fact that Count Dracula the DADA teacher walked in to school everyday. She'd need something to sweeten the deal though, and not just getting from both Zonko's and Honeydukes. Although if he figured she'd run then there wasn't much she can really say to make him happy with her going out of school.

"I can also babysit Greer during it I guess." She didn't want to, she'd rather go see how hot the property market at the Shrieking Shack on the full moon was then look after the bug obsessed girl. But if it meant freedom for 24 hours then she would do it. Even if the freedom is making sure a third year doesn't get their tongue stuck on a lamp post.

The Headmaster kept his negotiation face suitably stony and skeptical. Lucinda Temple was on a roll, deftly coming at it from every angle. She played his ideals of students having aspirations. She offered nothing short of a bribe of sweets and toys (she might have done better with tea, tobacco, or whiskey). She even appealed to his sense of community-minded Hufflepufflry by offering to look after Greer. She was better at this than even she knew, he suspected. Good thing he'd been at this much longer than she had.

"You make some very compelling offers, Miss Temple," he said. "Truly a dizzying creative mind that I wish would rear itself in more of your schoolwork. But that indulgent scholastic tangent aside..."

Knox paused to sit up straighter.

"Miss Temple, can you or can you not cast a corporeal Patronus Charm?"

"Ah...uh...." That question deflated her, had she tried before? She has a few times, all before the summer, she managed to make something come out of her wand, she shook it enough and some white stuff came out but nothing that took form or cast a shield. So the answer was...no not really. But why would he be springing the question on her? There are better ways to communicate with her and its only good against one target maybe two. And its not required to pass Hogwarts so why...

Did he think she was depressed? That she'd be a giant arrow for Dementors? There were attacks but she'd be in Hogsmeade, there would be hundreds of students and adults about so its not like she would be that vulnerable to them! If someone came to attack her then its not like a Patronus would help her! Oh look its a man with a wand throwing forbidden curses. Lets summon a non physical reindeer to stand there. Even if she was able to cast one to get a message its not like she would be able to in that situation!

This isn't to say she didn't want to learn how to do one, it would be useful to know if she was attacked by a Dementor but why was he springing this on her?

"Why would you want to know? Its not required to pass Hogwarts and is a very difficult spell." She tried to non answer but her tone gave away that she couldn't if the fact she was giving a non answer wasn't an answer enough. "Do you think I'm struggling with the fact that Zeta sister-zo-" She cut herself short as her cheeks started to burn and redden, quickly she did her best to hide her face without curling into a ball or hiding her face. Shut up right now

Knox's facade wavered a moment out of pure curiosity. Had Lucinda said something about Zeta? That would be Zeta Pepper who'd chaired what was reported in the press to be a passionate but dysfunctional restart of the student werewolf advocacy group. She wasn't the most reliably mature elder student, but he couldn't imagine her being willfully cruel. At the right time of day, Knox might mark the two girls' energies as similar enough to be friendly, even.

"Well, I do think it's fair of the Headmaster to ask about proficiency in a magical skill regardless of how it might fall on the - I'm sorry," he said, pausing in his tack to inspect Lucinda's ability to handle herself, "you did say Zeta? Zeta Pepper? Has something happened between you two that I should know about?"

One of the pitfalls of student initiatives like the werewolf club was that they were largely unguided and could therefore tip into zealotry or fly off in the wrong direction entirely or become a fashionable crochet scarf.  If Zeta or any of the other non-werewolf helpers in the school had bungled something and now Lucinda Temple wanted to leave the school - surely there were actually more dangerous threats facing Lucinda and Greer, but sometimes tension among peers could feel far more dire.

Oh no, he was holding onto Zeta. Did she really want to tell the Headmaster about her love life? It was like telling your dad about...NO! HE ISN'T HER DAD! STOP THINKING LIKE THAT! She doesn't want to think about being family with him, it was weird enough he was so involved!

But what could she tell him? He was now panicked that she was being bullied. That wasn't true...well Zeta wasn't, her friends were acting weird but that's besides the point. Her eyes looked towards her hands, face, now much redder. Turned towards them as her index fingers started to poke at eachother nervously.

"Well uh...its just...um..." This was looking worse then it was. "I asked her out.." Her voice said quietly but still loud enough to hear clearly in embarrassment. "She said she see's me as a sister..." She squeaked a bit.

She needed to change this topic. Her failed romance is not something she wants to be stuck on with him, what if he went into one of his famous speeches on romance? She didn't need to know what Morgana looked like when he was 15! "U-um..so on Patronus..I could make a light?" She hoped it worked.

The day would come, Seers willing, that Knox Greyfriar would be able to follow Lucinda Temple's train of thought. It ran on a phantom track, it went whence it would and no passenger could predict the stops nor its terminus. Because they'd gone from premature career aspirations, to Hogsmeade weekend permissions, to the Patronus Charm but had somehow found romance. Or, disappointingly, crushes unrequited. Lucinda was far more uncomfortable with broaching the topic in this office than Knox was hearing it. He'd been young, he'd had an affair, he'd been married. Futhermore, he'd been a teacher for quite some time now and it was impossible to remain ignorant of the students' frenzied coupling (or not coupling). There was little that surprised him anymore, but he was usually merciful enough to stay out of it. Most of the time.

Clearly, being turned down was going to be unhappy for Lucinda, but at least she was forming friendships, even if it was with the manic Zeta Pepper. The combination could be explosive. Lucinda changed the subject on her own; Knox wouldn't press her.

"Well, a Patronus Charm isn't everything..." he said, relenting. The ideal proficiency would be at the level of spectral messenger - a technique pioneered in the nineteen seventies by the Order of the Phoenix, which had since spread into popularity.

He leaned forward again. "What about Red Sparks? Have you trained in that universal emergency beacon? Can you cast it under pressure?"

Now he really was sounding like dad. Ever since returning to England her dad made sure she knew red sparks. Even to the point that she would start being able to produce some red lights, admittedly not sparks, more just a glow of red, without speaking. Her dad wasn't happy about her not being able to perform non verbal spells despite her age and skill, thankfully she managed to get away with being an apparent disappointment to him with it however by pointing out that she would be at Hogwarts. What use would it be. She could scratch her ear wrong and Professor Storm would barge out of a cupboard and give her detention for being distracting.
Again it didn't please him much but he relented saying something about boys but she had zoned out.

The Patronus part...yeah she could use it as a messenger but it was advanced, and she heard stories of maggots coming from the wand and eating them if it wasn't done right or if they weren't pure enough. Werewolves could still use it right? Or where they considered unpure? Surely her magic or however magic worked could tell she wasn't evil right?

And then it posed another question, it has to be an extremely happy memory? It was a bit hard to think of something happy when you're not in a happy state. And straight up thinking of something happy was difficult in the first place. What even was happiness?

"I know both Vermillious and Periculum down to starting non verbal." She said in a relieved to be off her failed romance tone but annoyed at her dad for drilling it in tone. It was fairly specific in its tone. "Want a demonstration?" She asked with a faint smirk in her tone, she'd love to set something on fire but she didn't think the Headmaster would be inclined to let her set the office on fire, who knows what powerful books were here.

She took her wand into her hand however and drew a circle, looking well practiced atleast as she said clearly. "Expecto Patronum." A dim light managed to spew from the wand but nothing happened, she let it lower, relieved that she wasn't eaten alive by maggots but now looking more upset by failing to get the spell off. She shouldn't be disappointed, it didn't work before and it was advanced magic, but she had hoped atleast that this time she'd get it off.