paintitrainbows | what comes up when rain comes down?

[Fish can't help but huff out a sigh at that, crossing her arms when Lupin brings that up. Both he and Filius seem on board, though there's a bit more hesitant to the Ravenclaw Head of House--though he does glance at her sidelong. He's been here far longer than her, and was here when she first had to deal with an...incident like this in one of her houses.

She agrees, of course. They need to take it to Dumbledore. For all the good it will do. And she can't help the bitter, angry scorn when she says it. But they still need to try; that much is clear]

[And indeed... it doesn't do the good Lupin was hoping for. Dumbledore acts the concerned headmaster, certainly. Appropriately saddened and concerned about Edward.

But he makes it clear there's very little he can do, without a proper report--

(And Lupin interjects, angrily, that he's reporting this. He is. Right now. At this very moment.)

--and that it needs to come from Edward. So they'll have to talk to him, first, and get him to admit to anything first.

And isn't that just... discouraging. Expected, for the staff who have been here longer. But oh so discouraging.]

[....Fish wishes she was surprised. She's not. Instead she keeps her expression carefully blank.]

Well. So I suppose we'll have to have a chat with him.

[it's as neutral as possible, but there's definitely an undercurrent of bite to her words. Because Dumbledore already knows what's going to happen here as much as she does. This isn't the first time they've sat here like this, the matter of an abused student between them, and him doing absolutely nothing.

She pushes to her feet, turning away to leave]

[Lupin is frustrated, horribly so, butt here's nothing he can do about this. He just has to back up Fish on this, that they'll talk to Edward. Which doesn't seem wise to do immediately, when Edward's in such a state. And there are things to go over, first.

So it's several days later. Transfiguration class is in session, the Ravenclaws and the Slytherins together, working quietly.

Edward's bounced back quick from the incident a few days ago. And, of course, has no idea there's been... talks about him. Or that there's one planned.]

[Fish floos herself into Flitwick's office just about then, and moves to settle herself in a chair to wait for the end of class and their subsequent...talk. She...really doesn't think that this will get them anywhere to where Lupin clearly wants them to get. But they still have to try. She knows that, and she's wants Edward to at least know that he has the option to talk, if he wishes.

He won't; she's fairly certain of that. She's seen this too many times now. But they always have to try]

[It's Flitwick, of course, who comes down to class. It's the very end, everyone is packing up and he calls Edward over.

"Ah, Edward... if you could come with me, please?"

And Edward looks... a little surprised. He glances around a little confused, no clue why he's getting singled out. Glancing over Oswald's way.]

[Oswald meets his gaze, looking confused also, and he shrugs] I'll, uh...see you in the library later?

Um... Yeah. Yeah, I'll see you later.

[He just finishes gathering up his stuff and follows Flitwick. When they get to his office, Edward walks in and... freezes slightly, when he sees Fish and Lupin there, too.]

Uh.

Am... Am I in trouble or something?

Not at all, Edward. We simply wanted to ask you some questions. [she seems relaxed, at ease, perhaps in comparison to at least Lupin.]

["Yes, yes. You're not in trouble at all, Edward. Please, take a seat."

And Edward does so. A little reluctantly, a little uncertain, because what else would a group of teachers want with him, if not because he's in trouble. But okay...

This is happening, he guesses.]

Oh. Um... okay?

[Fish's eyes flick over Edward once, before leaning forward a bit, looking him in the eye.] First of all, you don't have to answer anything you're uncomfortable with. Am I clear?

...Okay? I mean... yes. I think.

[He glances around a little, again, at every teacher individually. There's a few more reassurances from Flitwick, as well. To tell him he's not in trouble, really, he's not. And then, of course, they have to get to the heart of the matter.

Lupin fields that part, because he's the one who actually witnessed the incident.]

"Edward, we wanted to ask you a few things about what happened in class a few days ago. With the boggart."

[And immediately, there's a shift. Because now Edward knows what it's about, so at least the uncertainty about that is removed. Now, instead, he tenses up. He tries to keep his expression neutral and he'd do a pretty admirable job if he wasn't fourteen and people were already on the lookout, so the anxiety underneath is pretty clear.]

...What about it?

["Well. It's not entirely unheard of for a boggart experience to be troubling for someone. Perfectly normal, really." Flitwick is doing his best to approach the subject gently, but they do have to... of course... get into it. "Professor Lupin has told us a little, but... Could you tell us what it was you saw, Edward?"

Edward is still... looking straight ahead. Not answering right away.]

I--

Does... Does that really matter? I mean, it's not... important or anything. Who cares?

Standard procedure, Edward. We're just trying to ensure that all stories match. [she's casual about the whole thing, perhaps the least tense out of everyone in the room. Certainly between her and Edward.]

[Edward goes quiet. It almost seems like he's doing a quick mental calculation, which is about accurate.

He's trying to recall who knows what. And... while it's true that his parents aren't exactly well known to the Hogwarts staff - as they've never visited, try to stay as uninvolved with Edward's school life as possible, really - he knows at least one person has met them in person. Professor McGonagall, when she came by his house to explain everything about his letter and when she took them to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies.

So it's as simple a matter of asking her for everything to fall apart, if he lies here. Or... It could just be a coincidence. Similar looking men, it doesn't have to be related to anything.

No. Maybe?

"Edward?" And he looks up, suddenly realizing he's stayed quiet too long. "It's alright. In your own time."]

It's... [...No. It'll fall apart. He has to fess up to at least this one thing.] It was my dad. [Which he hates admitting, hates the words as they come out of his mouth, so he keeps talking immediately.] I-I mean, whatever. So what? It was probably just... still trying to decide what to be, or--

[No. Come on, Edward, you have a better tactic than that. His voice takes on a more challenging tone, now.]

I mean, it wasn't about him or anything, it's just, you know... who isn't scared of getting into trouble or something?

"...Yes, of course, Edward. It's alright." [Lupin smiles sympathetically, quiet and patient.] "Still, we wanted to be sure."

[And Lupin glances at Flitwick, who clears his throat a little.

"We just want to know... Is everything okay at home, Edw--"]

Yes.

[The answer's too quick. Out there before Flitwick can even finish the sentence, like he anticipated the question this whole time. He's still staring ahead.]

[So...no. It isn't. Too quick of an answer; not yet completely practiced at the dismissal. This...never gets any easier. It never becomes less heartbreaking.

But if she shows anything akin to pity, Edward will immediately reject it. She's no fool.

Fish's eyes narrow just slightly, but that's all. She does make an attempt to catch his gaze, however]

[Flitwick, too, has been here. Less often in his house, certainly. But it still happens. He's taught here for a long time and he's seen many students go. These things just... keep happening.

Lupin is not new to it. He can't keep out the worry from his expression, can't stop himself from wanting to do more. Try again.]

"I believe you, Edward. Still, if there is anything going on-- Anything you want to tell us--"

There isn't. Everything's fine.

[Edward grips the chair just a little too tightly. And Lupin looks... saddened.]

"You're absolutely sure?"

Yeah. I'm sure.

Well. That settles it, I believe. Let us know if you think of anything else.[Fish pushes to her feet. Edward's not going to say anything, and the more Lupin pushes, the worse it will get] Thank you for your time, Edward. [she opens the door to the office, holding it open for him, a clear escape should he choose to take it.] I'll see you in Potions tomorrow.

[Oh, and Edward takes it. He practically jumps at the offered out, grabbing his bag. He barely offers up a--] Okay. [--before he's out the door, fast as he can go without running.

And once Edward's gone, Lupin sighs. Slumping slightly.]

"...He wasn't ever going to say anything, was he?"

[After a long moment, Fish sighs, closing the door, folding her arms over her chest] .....no. They rarely do. You have to wait for them to come to you. [she lowers herself back into that chair] But he knows the option is there now, at least.

[Edward, meanwhile, just keeps going as he leaves the office, at the same pace. He's just walking and walking, not even sure where he's going. He has class, soon. He was going to... going to go to the library and--

Suddenly he can't even think of any of that. Forget class.

At some point, he finds himself higher and higher in the castle. The Astronomy Tower seemed like a good pick. No one will be there during the day and he's reasonably sure there's no class scheduled for tonight anyway, so no one will be by to prepare anything either.

He throws his bag down onto the floor and just... sinks down onto it himself. Hugging his knees, resting his head on top of them.]

[....Edward doesn't show. Oswald's finished his homework at least half an hour ago, and is just...sitting there. In the library. By himself. He worries his bottom lip with his teeth--though his head jerks up and to the side when his name is said softly--]

Mr. Cobblepot.

[Fish waits until she has his attention, before--] I don't believe that Mr. Nashton will show. You should probably go looking for him.

[Oswald is...startled, to the say the least. But Slytherins are unwittingly trained in double speak from the moment they arrive, so his expression immediately dissolves into a frown. He wants to ask what happened, but...this is a very clear command. He's immediately shoving all of his books into his bag, and slinging them over his shoulder.] Okay. Thank you, Professor.

[and with that, he's heading out of the library at a fast pace. He doesn't know where Edward is per say but at least he can think of a good idea of how to narrow it down. If something happened he definitely wouldn't go back to the common room; he'd go somewhere else. Somewhere to be alone. And despite being a large castle, it is full of people. He's only got a couple options on places that would be really, truly isolated, but...well. It's worth a shot.

Oswald makes his way to the Astronomy Tower]

Edited 2019-03-30 00:09 (UTC)

[And he'll find Edward there. Still sitting in the same position as when he first got there. Face hidden. Bag lying sort of forgotten a small distance away.

He won't look up at the sound of someone entering the tower.]

[at first, it's a relief to find him. But it's immediately swamped by dread and worry as Oswald drops his bag on the floor next to Edward's, immediately moving to cross the room to him]

Edward?

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