Every few weeks, Felix would make his way to his old school. Always on a Friday, so he would be able to conveniently have a catch-up with some of the professors, which usually involved a good drink and a hangover the next day - man, those professors knew how to let loose!

So today was no different. Friday, 6.50pm, Felix was walking through the gates, ready for his 7pm appointment to see Analiza Snark, the headmistress. Being a visitor to the school, he always had to check in with her first. But they knew each other, having worked together at the Ministry before Ana left to come to the school; a surprise move, but clearly she was the right person for the job at the time.

Felix had known Analiza for best part of four years now. She had been his colleague for the first two years he was an apprentice astronomer under the tutelege of Duldridge, and then she became his boss as he took over from Duldridge as Head Astronomer for the Ministry. They always got along well, having a laugh and knowing how to push eachother's buttons, and Felix had always held a deep respect for her.

Felix used the password he had been given by Ana herself, and walked onto the platform as the statue moved aside for him. On arriving at the large wooden door to her office, he looked down at his attire, smoothed a few crinkles out of his jacket and knocked on the door with his knuckles. He ran his fingers over his slightly stubbled chin - by Friday he always had this slight shadow. He always went into work clean shaven at the beginning of the week, and left on a Friday almost sporting a whole beard.

When the knock sounded at Analiza's office door, her first inclination was to tell whomever it was to piss off, she was up to her armpits in paperwork. However a cursory glance at her calender revealed that the visitor was not only welcome, but a much needed reprieve from the dreary and depressing amount of work that her job involved. While she was most definitely up to her armpits in it, Analiza had no qualms about pushing the papers aside to make room for a tea tray ( or perhaps something harder) when her visitor was a Mr. Marren.

Her relationship with the younger man was a strange one. There wasn't just an age difference between them, there was everything from family, style, personality and ethics as well. He was her opposite in many, nay nearly every, way  and yet she still found herself drawn to him. Perhaps it was the same way she was drawn to the frank innocence of Marietta's younger sister Ophelia, who shared some of the younger Marren's traits. Whatever it was about him, Analiza found herself oddly comfortable in his presence. She could laugh, relax and unwind, without worrying about her professional actions and reputation preceding her. As far a she knew, Felix didn't even read the newspaper and even if he did, she knew he wouldn't judge her for her actions. It was an Unspeakable thing. They had to handle so many controversial things in their job that no one held anyone responsible outside of work, something others needed to learn in Ana's opinion. Specifically her professors.

Felix's visit was so welcome that Analiza lost her characteristic cool facade and nearly tripped over her own two feet trying to lunge from her chair and tidy the place up. "Just a moment." she called as she quickly waved her wand about the room, sending papers flying around the office in a tornado of detention slips, curriculum details and angry letters from parents. As they flew out of sight, into an already stuffed closet, Analiza summoned a tea set and begin to straighten her clothing. It wasn't as though his visit was something she needed to be dressed to the nines for, he would likely be wearing something informal and even sloppy, but she felt that she couldn't be frumpy in front of him. Why, she didn't know, she just couldn't.

Once she was proper, Analiza took a deep breath and regained what she could of her professional demeanor before opening the door. "Ah.. Mr. Marren, please come in... I have been expecting you." She ushered him in and glanced behind him to see if anyone was spying on their little meeting. Once he cleared the door, she promptly slammed it and sighed in relief. "You do not know how glad I am to see you Felix. Tea? Or would you like something harder?"

He heard her call out that she'd be a moment, and grinned to himself. If he knew Analiza Snark at all, he knew what she would be doing at that very moment in time; papers would be flying insanely around the room in an attempt to tidy up, and a tea tray would be waiting on the desk when he went in. If it was himself, he would have probably just shoved the papers aside and onto the floor, but he was wellknown for being a little lazy in his personal life. At work, he was actually quite similar to Analiza in the respect that he wouldn't let anyone near his office without everything being in order before hand. He was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, professional and orderly at work, childish and lazy at home.

The door suddenly flew open and he was greeted very professionally by Ana. Felix straightened up and raised his hand, holding it rigedly against his forehead before saluting her. "Felix Marren, reporting for duty, Miss!" he joked, though there was a mock-serious expression on his face. Before he had a chance to revel in the glory that was him teasing his ex-boss, he was being ushered quickly into the office, with Analiza peering around the door suspiciously and slamming it closed behind him. As she was going about her business, checking out that they weren't being spied on, Felix couldn't help but let his eyes appraise her. Well put-together clothes that were figure-hugging in all the right places. It was almost enough to put him to shame for his lack of dressing up. He tugged at the hem of his jacket , an embarassed expression crossing his face momentarily.

She sighed and said she was pleased to see him, making him chuckle. "That's what every man wants to hear." He grinned as he removed his scarf and unzipped his jacket, draping them both over the arm of a chair. Her offer of tea made his nose crinkle slightly as his eyes wandered to the tray; lo and behold, his prediction had been right. His expression relaxed somewhat when she offered something stronger. "What have you got?" It was a Friday afterall, so surely they both deserved a cheeky drink to toast the beginning of the weekend?

"That's what every man wants to hear."

"Is it now? I thought it would be something along the lines of 'let's go back to my place' or 'Can my friend join'..." Analiza smirked as she grasped a book on the shelf to the left of her desk, pulling it back enough to open a 'door' of books, revealing a nice little liquor cabinet. Analiza herself was a social drinker at best but her callers were not always the same, so her cabinet was well filled with practically new liquors, some not even opened. Pulling a bottle of Scotch down, she summoned a pair of snifters and poured out a small amount in each one before using her wand to douse each with a small amount of cold water. "...Or perhaps even, 'it's not mine'?"

She chuckled as she placed one of the snifters next to him before summoning one of the comfortable green armchairs against the wall and taking a seat. Picking up her own glass, she sniffed it as her father had shown her and tried not to make a face. She wasn't all that much of a fan of it, but it had been her fathers favorite. Smiling softly with nostalgia, she said softly "...Laphroaig, single-malt, 15 years. It was my fathers last bottle..." Her smile fell a little at the mention of her father, embarrassed that she had said something so sentimental. Smiling weakly, she took a drink before managing "...I hope you like it.."

The awkwardness didn't last long however. The thing she liked the most about Felix was the fact that she felt comfortable around him. Maybe it was because his head was so permanently stuck in the stars....Or his sweet smile... The way he wasn't scared of teasing her but didn't disrespect her either... whatever it was, she felt relaxed in his presence. It was a nice change considering she was surrounded by people that outrightedly hated her and wanted to oust her as soon as they could get enough dirt. With Felix she could relax and stop looking for booby traps or reading between the lines of everything he said. Crossing her long slender legs, Analiza cocked her head to the side and smiled almost peacefully "So... What is the news in Level 9?"

Analiza’s suggestion of what she thought men wanted to hear made Felix laugh slightly and shake his head. “You have me all wrong, Ana.” He grinned and held his hands up as though surrendering. “I just like to know that people feel they are able to depend on me when they need me. My intentions are good.” He concluded, his grin fading into a more cautious smile.

Analiza went to a secret stash of liquors and started to pour out some Laphroaig. His eyebrows rose slightly and he nodded as an endorsement of her choice of liquor. She summoned a chair from the side of the room and took a seat. “Very nice.” He said as she handed him the tumbler of liquid and he took a taste. “Very nice indeed.” He took a seat next to her listened as she said it had been her father’s favourite. His smile softened even further when he saw that she was clearly letting her guard down. She wasn’t the stone-faced boss he had dealt with countless times in his years as an Unspeakable. He bit his lower lip and looked down into his tumbler. He wasn’t used to dealing with Analiza when she was anything less than fierce, and he wasn’t entirely sure how to approach this. Though, he was flattered that she felt comfortable enough letting him in when she strived to keep so many out.

"So... What is the news in Level 9?"

He looked up, and once again that mischievous glint was back in his eyes. “Now, Ana.” He chastised in every way but a wagging finger. “You know that I can’t tell you what’s going on up there.” He grinned. Technically speaking, he was bound by his job and unable to speak of his work. “But,” he carried on in a lower voice as though sharing a secret with her, moving forward slightly in his seat with an eager expression, “Isis Farrelly is facing a tribunal.” He shrugged. That probably wouldn’t have come as much of a shock. Isis was known for being a loose canon. However, the nature of her tribunal may have come as a shock – it certainly had to Felix. “You know she was engaged?” he breathed a laugh. “Well, not anymore. She cheated on him with some random guy. In the Ministry Library.” His eyes widened slightly as though pressing the scandal enclosed in his words.

“Isis Farrelly is facing a tribunal. You know she was engaged? Well, not anymore. She cheated on him with some random guy. In the Ministry Library.”

"Did she now...?" Ana said, amusement fleeting across her features as she took a sip of the scotch. Felix seemed to know her too well, leaning forward and imparting gossip with the glee of a housewife who saw the milkman interloping with a neighbor. A wicked smile found it's way onto Analiza's face as she leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand, nodding with encouragement. The news about Farrelly was not surprising, despite how hard she tried to hide her philandering ways, so Ana could only shake her head in bemusement at the news. "No surprise there... Isis was never very good about keeping her bloomers on... Though the library is a nice touch. I didn't picture her the exhibitionist type."

Sitting back, Analiza sloshed her drink around in its tumbler and studied it with more interest then she felt. Actually she was thinking back about how she had had a number of affairs within the ministry, minor flings at best but, considering her choice of high profile lovers, ones that would have lit Ministry gossip into a firestorm. Her relationship with Annwyl was one such fling... okay succession of flings... that could have ruined her career. Or made it, as so many talentless tarts like Farrelly seemed to think. "... What an idiot. How can she expect to be a good unspeakable if she can't keep a simple affair under wraps..." She said snidely before taking a long drink of her scotch.

The thought of Marcus made her grumpy and she drowned the feelings quickly in the amber liquid, letting the scalding alcohol burn away the bad taste in her mouth. She needed to change the subject but quick. Fueled by the liquid courage coursing through her veins, Analiza eyed him with clouded golden eyes "... What about you Felix? Enjoy any carnal risks lately? Handsome young man like you..." She gave him a once over that was bordering on predatory "... such a waste if you can't have a little fun now and then..."


((Sorry so shoddy. Been having a hell of a time trying to figure out how to respond. Sorry if it seems too quick for her to get tipsy... I always considered Ana a very very very lightweight... hehe))