It was a windy Saturday evening in January, and Ignan slipped out from the front of the castle, his cloak wrapped around him. He'd canceled his normal meeting with Dracon, citing that the young man needed to rest, a rare comment from the Professor who would quite ordinarily push his students endlessly. In contrast, with Dracon, he did not, and when working with the mind, it could have unwanted consequences.

Instead, he decided it was safer to remove himself from the castle altogether, an act he was rather becoming fond of doing, especially after yesterday's journey into London for household matters. Having not to teach on a Friday made it very convenient - even if Tuesdays and Thursdays were entirely full of teaching, and recipes for disaster.

Tonight, pub. He had to catch up with Vasily, who he'd neglected a bit in the past week, though he hadn't sent ahead to warn the young man, so he could be off somewhere instead, with girls, or worse. Still, Hogmeade had not fallen to the ground, he had not heard tales of women scorned, nor had Vasily's employer mentioned grievances last they'd spoken - not that Ignan enjoyed checking up at all - Vasily was his own man.

Up ahead, Ignan saw another figure walking towards the gates. One of those slender, almost youthful paces that could potentially belong to a student. Merlin hell, there'd be no students slipping off the the pub this evening, even if it was highly unlikely the gates would open for them. That's what the walls and the gates were for - keeping those ruddy students in, not other influences out.

Increasing his pace, Ignan drew closer, and just before he addressed whom he thought was a student, he realised instead the figure was that new Astronomy Professor with the odd nickname.
"Good evening!" Ignan greeted from behind, in a brisk manner - hoping to make Tapendra jump, but if not, no loss. "Very hard to pick you out from a student at a distance, could have been a nasty incident." He smirked, drawing up beside Tapendra.

Ignan got the jump he'd been hoping for, as Tapendra had been somewhat absorbed in his own thoughts and not paying much attention to his surroundings. The past two weeks had convinced him he needed to request change at Hogwarts - but he wasn't sure how to go about it, or what to change about the Astronomy coures, exactly.

"Hallo, s-" he paused, remembering the Staff Room incident. "Hallo, Ignan," he tried again, smiling in a considerably warmer manner than he had been able to do with Graham about. The smaller Herbology professor could drain the nice right out of him. The lack of his presence certainly made Professor Storm less intimidating.

"I'm glad you didn't make the mistake, then!" he said cheerfully, rubbing his hands on his arms; he'd worn a long hooded winter jacket, but Tapendra had never dealt well with cold. "I'd planned to spent tonight drinking; I'd rather not have done it in the hospital wing."

"Hallo, s-" Tapendra greeted, having caught his wits again. Ignan raised an eyebrow as the younger wizard corrected himself. "Hallo, Ignan," he tried again, and smiled. Oh ho, a completely different response to the rapidly vanishing Tapendra the other week in the staff room. Then again, the tales of Ignan poisoning and trying to kill his students had diminished this week a little.

"I'm glad you didn't make the mistake, then!" The Astronomy Professor responded cheerfully, rubbing his arms, indicating he found the weather bitter. "I'd planned to spent tonight drinking; I'd rather not have done it in the hospital wing."

Ignan frowned.
"Drinking in the hospital wing?" Ignan queried, confused by the statement. "Don't tell me our resident healer has a castle tavern nestled in the back of her medicine cabinet?" They continued on their way down towards the gates.
"A drink to numb away the cold, looks as if you could do with one." he nodded to the way Tapendra was rubbing his arms. Ignan on the other hand was perfectly warm in his robes, helped by a few charms. The only hint that he wasn't was his slight limp, which plagued him in the damp cold months.

"Not good to drink alone though." Ignan added, in an unusually more talkative mood following a good couple of days after a bad spell. "And best to take your own glasses if you're going to the Hogs Head." They reached the wrought iron gates between the two winged boars, and extended an arm each towards the gates, which swung open to let them pass into the wooded road beyond the walls.

"I'm not aware of her having one, no, but I'd had drunk in there somehow. It's been a rather long two weeks," his cheerful tone deflated a little bit as he spoke, then he perked back up. "I had intended to go on the 11th, but Bombay rather put me out of the mood, unfortunetly."

He walked with Ignan to the gates, shortening his long strides to match the shorter man's slower gait. "No, I suppose not," he said, not exactly sure if that was an offer to join him or not. He smiled as Ignan mentioned the Hog's Head, though. "I have been there once, as a matter of fact, but it was on a lost bet," he said, stepping around a fallen branch. "Got quite sick afterwards, as I recall."

"I'm not aware of her having one, no, but I'd had drunk in there somehow. It's been a rather long two weeks, I had intended to go on the 11th, but Bombay rather put me out of the mood, unfortunately." Tapendra mentioned, referring to the Sunday afternoon Ignan had come across him and Graham in the staff room... alone.

"I have been there once, as a matter of fact, but it was on a lost bet, got quite sick afterwards, as I recall."

"That would not surprise me." Ignan smirked, "Never play cards there, thieving cheats the lot of them."

Deep in the forest something brayed, the sound carried by the wind tossing and swaying the branches about them.
"I ended up going that evening, despite my original plans, truth be told. Unexpected family matters. Where I'm headed now, yet again..." He paused, thinking about Johann's reaction to Ignan mentioning Tapendra had come to teach at the school. Oh, Solomon help him if Johann turned out to be somewhat a fan, how awful.
"You should join me, unless of course, you have your own drinking cartel." Ignan offered, an idea forming as they rounded a bend in the road, seeing Hogsmeade before them, its windows lit up in the darkness.

"I don't think I'd have had to worry about teh bar patron had I played cards; my own friends are good enough at that." He laughed lightly.

"I'd be happy to join you, if you're fine with my company," he said with a wide smile. "It'd certainly be easier to finish my work with some feedback, especially from another professor." He patter the pocket of his  coat; inside was a notebook and pen. "Thank you for your advice about Mister Knight, by the way. He didn't make much of a fuss, except to object to the material and has apparently decided my class is one that," he tilted his head up to remember the words and did a fairly good imitation of the boy's pretentious tone, "'My parents would rather have me fail than be tainted by inferior knowledge'." His smile turned nasty. "I'm not sure anyone would notice the difference, honestly, but he hasn't been turning up to class since, and frankly it's been a better experience for everyone."

"I'd be happy to join you, if you're fine with my company," Tapendra replied with a wide smile. "It'd certainly be easier to finish my work with some feedback, especially from another professor." He patted the pocket of his  coat;] and Ignan's eyes flicked down automatically at the motion.
"Thank you for your advice about Mister Knight, by the way. He didn't make much of a fuss, except to object to the material and has apparently decided my class is one that," he tilted his head up and put on a voice reminiscent of Callum "'My parents would rather have me fail than be tainted by inferior knowledge'." Ignan gave a humoured 'heh' in response and nodded. 
"I'm not sure anyone would notice the difference, honestly, but he hasn't been turning up to class since, and frankly it's been a better experience for everyone."

"Yours is not the only class he is missing." Ignan confirmed, having noted Callum's absence. "And to an extent I agree, it is easier. Though, easy isn't exactly what the job's meant to be." He didn't want to elaborate that he actually had spent several hours over the last week and a bit considering his own actions towards Callum and Sasha. Both boys had caught him thoroughly unprepared, and it irritated him, and put a dent in his confidence as a Professor - not that he'd admit either.

Entering the main street, they soon approached the well lit front door of the Three Broomsticks, the warm light pooling out into the street. Ignan led the way in, picking out Johann sat at the bar conversing with nearby figures he didn't recognise.
"Evening Johann." Ignan greeted, and then stepped back, "May I introduce my colleague, Professor Tapendra Trishna. Professor Trishna, Johann Storm." He gestured to them both to make introductions while he unhooked his cloak.

"Evening Johann." Ignan greeted, considerably more approachable than the last time they had spoken. A week ago, the whole scene had been entirely different. What a difference a week did make.
"Ignan." Johann replied automatically, giving him a grin, keen to make amends for overstaying his welcome earlier in the week. However, his older cousin stepped aside, gesturing to another figure.
"May I introduce my colleague, Professor Tapendra Trishna. Professor Trishna, Johann Storm."

Johann hopped down from the stool and stepped forwards, extending his hand to Tapendra.
"The Tapendra Trishna, well met sir!" He told the Professor. "Ignan told me you were teaching Astronomy to the students at the castle. Recognised the name, author aren't you?" Johann asked. Then, remembering his manners as his cousin swept his cloak from his shoulders, he waved a hand.
"A drink! What will you have?" With his newly assured financial status, he could actually afford to buy someone else a drink, for a change.

He nodded his head, agreeing silently with Ignan's comment about the classes being easier. True, the job wasn't supposed to be easy; but the atmosphere in his class had certainly improved, he felt. The non-Slytherins certainly seemed happier to be without the young man.

They walked in silence to the bar, Tapendra glad to be in out of the cold as he shook the snow off his boots and coat. He was a bit surprised when Ignan introduced him to Johann; mostly because the man's eagerness was a massive contrast to the respectable dourness of his relative. He shook Johann's hand firmly, blinking several times as his brain switched gears. Then he smiled his normal warm smile.

"Indeed I am, sir - good to meet you!" He too removed his heavy coat, draping it over the back of a nearby chair. "Just a normal beer, I think - nothing too exciting to start with, and thank you," he said, jovially. He was honestly a bit flattered -  it was nice to find another adult who'd heard of him, at least. "As yes, I've taken up the challenge of teaching the students Astronomy - a rather tougher challenge than I expected, I must admit."

"Just a normal beer, I think - nothing too exciting to start with, and thank you," Trishna requested, in response to Johann's offer. "As yes, I've taken up the challenge of teaching the students Astronomy - a rather tougher challenge than I expected, I must admit." Johann smiled politely in response, and turned to order another round of drinks.

How odd of Ignan to keep company with such a young and clearly more outgoing man. Still, Johann noted his cousin was also in considerably better spirits that evening, by Merlin, perhaps it was rubbing off on the old grump.
"I can quite imagine." Johann replied politely, thinking back to the tales the students had been discussing while he eavesdropped in the school library and corridors while wandering.
"Unruly lot they seem to be at Hogwarts." He flashed Ignan a grin, and the old wizard gave a nod.
"Of late, yes."
"All the harder for coming into the job mid-academic year? Or is it easier once they've all established a pecking order?" Johann asked, as the three drinks landed on the bar, and he dug out the necessary coins from his pocket.
"Astronomy's one of those subjects we excelled at hundreds of years back, now we're preoccupied with self cleaning pans and other Muggle convenience imitations." Johann had been translating documentation for the trading standards office yesterday afternoon, about the layers of incantations on a new self-preparing teapot. It grew legs and arms, opened the tea container to set itself up, and also climbed into the sink at the end to wash itself. Only there'd been some reports that several teapots had not been opening tea to make their brews, but were rather partial to anything of value they could stuff in their pots, before waddling to the nearest open door.

It was a rather common sight to see Cillian Cuthbert sitting at the bar with a pint in his hand. In fact it had become so common that many of the regulars had actually become concerned when Cillian took up the post of Divination Professor up at the castle and could only make it out every other Saturday or so. A large smile was present on his face as he was already a few pints in. Much like his presence it was common for the barmaids to have to help Cillian home at the end of the night, thankfully his flat was only a few shops down from the bar.

He looked up when his fellow Professors came in. He took a long gulp of his pint wondering if he should say anything or wait until his colleagues recognized him. Cillian was still an easy person to miss in a crowd, although after the museum incident he had begun to grow a beard, not that it made him any more noticeable than he had been before.

As the two men greeted a third that had been sitting with the men next to Cillian it became harder for him to ignore them. He couldn't help but chuckle as they spoke of the tougher students. Cillian was rather thankful that he only had to deal with the third years and up and even then he had relatively small classes compared to what the other Professors had. Unfortunately he did have to deal with Knight and Tawse.

"All the harder for coming into the job mid-academic year? Or is it easier once they've all established a pecking order?"

"I thin' it all depends on which year ye happen ta be teachin at thee time." Cillian swung around on his bar stool preferring not to get off of it. He was easily the shortest man in the group and didn't want to draw attention to the fact. He extended his hand to Johann, the only one he didn't know, "Cillian Cuthbert, I work at thee castle wit Tappy an Ignan."

"So far the students have apparently been better behaved for me that for...other professors," Tapendra said, remembering the look on Graham's face.  He smiled jokingly. "Personally I think it's just the late-night timing of the class means they're too tired to cause much trouble - certainly had more than one student doze off. Only trouble I've had, really, if students whin...objecting to the subject matter."

He visibly jumped when Cillian piped up, looking at the man surprised. He clearly had to think for a moment before he recognised Cillian - then he smiled politely. "Their pecking orders certainly can do more harm tha good," he admitted, wondering how drunk the man was. "The first years where actually the most difficult. It's nice to see you, Professor Cuthbert," he added, taking a long pull of his beer and really hoping he didn't make a fool out of himself tonight.

His younger relative extended his hand to Tapendra.
"The Tapendra Trishna, well met sir! Ignan told me you were teaching Astronomy to the students at the castle. Recognised the name, author aren't you?"
"Indeed I am, sir - good to meet you!" The Astronomy Professor replied with a smile, exchanging the hand shake.

Johann, as usual, over excited by academic prowess. Ignan pulled his cloak from his shoulders and folded it over, Tapendra doing much the same.

"A drink! What will you have?" Johann asked. Clearly his finances had been rectified along with finding employment that week.
"Just a normal beer, I think - nothing too exciting to start with, and thank you," His younger colleague replied. Ignan gestured to fetch his usual, requiring nothing spoken.
"And yes, I've taken up the challenge of teaching the students Astronomy - a rather tougher challenge than I expected, I must admit." His younger colleague continued as Johann smiled politely, seeming almost too glad of the alternative company to Ignan.
"I can quite imagine." Johann replied politely, and Ignan noticed his English was considerably clearer than it had been a matter of days ago, the homeland accent was evening out, disappearing into the odd corner of a word. He sounded more of a native speaker than Ignan, whose German accent curled around his words, picked up by the British as being anything foreign.
"Unruly lot they seem to be at Hogwarts." Johann flashed Ignan a grin, and he gave a curt nod.
"Of late, yes." Johann seemed content with keeping up the conversation on his behalf.
"All the harder for coming into the job mid-academic year? Or is it easier once they've all established a pecking order?" Three drinks landed on the bar, and payment was issued.
"So far the students have apparently been better behaved for me that for...other professors, personally I think it's just the late-night timing of the class means they're too tired to cause much trouble - certainly had more than one student doze off. Only trouble I've had, really, if students whin...objecting to the subject matter." The three of them retrieved their drinks, conversation continuing.
"Astronomy's one of those subjects we excelled at hundreds of years back, now we're preoccupied with self cleaning pans and other Muggle convenience imitations."

Ignan was about to enter the conversation when a fourth voice entered the fray.
"I thin' it all depends on which year ye happen ta be teachin at thee time." Professor Cuthbert had been sat behind Johann, unbeknownst to the others, whose attention had quickly been taken by introductions. Remaining seated on the stool, as opposed to the three who stood, their backsides not yet finding a spot to rest, he extended his hand to Johann,
"Cillian Cuthbert, I work at thee castle wit Tappy an Ignan." Introductions continued. Despite himself, Ignan felt glad Johann was looking far better than he had last Sunday, sat at the same bar, fearful his world was about to end. Still, thin, but more at ease. Ignan's two colleagues seemed easily at ease with him, rather more quickly than they had with Ignan - though he knew he could be quite aloof and abrasive when engaged with professional duties.
"Their pecking orders certainly can do more harm tha good," Tapendra agreed. "The first years where actually the most difficult. It's nice to see you, Professor Cuthbert,"
"Indeed, good evening Cillian." Ignan echoed, nodding to the Divination Professor, who he suspected to bar far more of a regular than he or Professor Trishna.
"I'd say their attention should be retained at all time. I don't make a habit of teaching lessons with no application in life. Cannot speak for all subjects though." Ignan raised his eyebrows and let a shrug of a smile catch the corners of his usually straight face. Never one for divination, not something that could be taught with any success, in his experience. Seeing your way out of something was unpredictable and often riddled with unfortunate consequence. Casting a firm shield and counter-curse was solid, irrefutably useful magic for any magician to master.
"They certainly do voice their opinions if they disagree with one's teaching style. In my day, students were seen and not heard unless addressed." He spoke it almost as a challenge to the other three, younger by decades.

"I thin' it all depends on which year ye happen ta be teachin at thee time." a voice behind spoke, and Johann turned his head, not missing Tapendra jump ever so slightly. A man of similar age cradled a pint, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw recognition in both teacher's faces.
"Cillian Cuthbert, I work at thee castle wit Tappy an Ignan."
"Of course." Johann replied, shaking hands. "Johann Storm, his cousin." He tilted his head towards where Ignan stood.
"Their pecking orders certainly can do more harm tha good," Tapendra agreed. "The first years where actually the most difficult. It's nice to see you, Professor Cuthbert,"
"Indeed, good evening Cillian." Ignan echoed, "I'd say their attention should be retained at all time. I don't make a habit of teaching lessons with no application in life. Cannot speak for all subjects though." Ignan raised his eyebrows and the hint of humor crossed his features, which never gave one a reassuring feeling. Johann turned back to Cillian.
"Why, what do you teach, Professor Cuthbert?" He asked, hesitation in his voice. Something Ignan disapproved of, and he couldn't recall the name so clearly from Ignan's explanations that late Sunday evening.

His smile had not faltered as the others accepted his introduction. In fact if anything he had even begun to chuckle. In the beginning he had so many reservations about teaching but now he was actually enjoying the job. Some of the older students were a pain but then those like Ms. Flickwick and Ms. O'Malley made it all worth while. He absolutely delighted in teaching those that could actually use divination for a purpose. Both were budding Seers and he had agreed to take them on as proteges.

"Please, call me Cillian." He said to both Tapendra and Johann. His thick Irish drawl was causing his words to become a lot more slurred than usual, then again that could also be from the fact that he was already four pints in. He let out another bark of laughter at Ignan's jab towards his profession.

"I teach Divination." He said to Johann, "And don worry I know lot o' blokes don' go fer thee whole seein' thee future thin, frankly I ain't such a fan o' it meself. I'm tryin ta git thee kids ta understan thee theories an' ideas behind it ratha than obsess ova whits actually gonna happen, git their knickers in a bunch ova gittin' a right prediction."

"Wha do ye do Johann?"