Concrete Prisons (Jake)

Guest

The concrete walls, solid floors, tables, chairs, and even doors were practically alien to Dami. Corridors were filled with the scent of people - sweat, soap, shampoo, and a variety of products that he did not care enough about to name - and the first few days he avoided entering the castle as much as possible. How he missed the smell of the wild outdoors: the grass that were not touched by fertilizer, the woody fragrance of trees that swayed to an invisible force, the flowers that bloomed in random spurs... To put simply, what he missed the most was nature itself, wild and unpredictable, and yet, more friendly than any human being he had ever met.

Only having ever entered the Main Hall during meal times before disappearing back to his greenhouses and his replicate of the world-he-missed-that-never-seemed-to-measure-up, he finally decided to explore the rest of the place late one Monday evening. Most of the students were already in their common rooms, which was good for him, because it meant little to none contact with people. His days at the school were long behind him, mere faded memories from another world that he no longer thought about.

Unfortunately for Damien, while his sense of direction was top notch when exploring jungles in south Malaysia or the mountain tops of Peru on expeditions, he got confused very easily in the modern setting. A few turns here, a few turns there, and soon he was completely lost, stuck inside the walls of the castle that he hated; indeed, any building he despised, so it was nothing personal in regards to Hogwarts.

"I believe I took a left at the portrait," he muttered to himself. "Or was it a right?" He looked around. "Fantastic, there are more than one portraits. Who in their right minds needs so many identical paintings? Now, which one did I turn at?"

Stopping in the middle of the corridor, he turned on the spot a few times, trying to figure out where to go.

Guest

Jake had been working late that evening, marking papers despite knowing Marilyn was at home waiting for him. He wanted to be free of work when he got home so that he could relax with his girlfriend and not worry about the marks his students were getting.

He was, however, growing hungry, and it was making it vastly difficult to concentrate. So, instead of finishing up, Jake put the remaining papers in his briefcase. Maybe he could get them done in the week, either in his lunch breaks or after work before dinner. Hopefully...

Heading down the stairs, Jake was wondering what Marilyn had cooked for dinner that evening - they'd come to the agreement that whoever got home first would cook, in the notion that it would be the most fair way of dividing the work. And if they were both there, they could do it together.

He'd only gotten to the stairs when he saw another professor looking... well, lost. "Are you okay?" Jake called out to the man just a little down the hallway. It seemed he was talking to himself, a sign of madness to many, but this was the wizarding world, some things could be overlooked. Not to mention some of the greatest wizards in the world were, in fact, crazy.

Guest

Feelings as though the walls were literally closing in on him, Dami took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. This was the exact reason he hated being inside - it always made him feel trapped, enclosed in a tight space with no means of escape. So when he heard the voice of someone calling out, he let out a small sigh of relief, turning to where the words had come from.

"I am a bit lost, actually," he called back, starting over. "Do you know the way out of this horribly enclosed place?" Looking the man over, Damien already started a profile of him, storing it carefully in the back of his mind, as he did with everyone he met. If he wasn't wrong, he was looking at the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Jack or something like that, he wasn't completely sure. They had never really talked before, and Dami only saw the other Professor during lunch times. "I'm trying to get back outside," he added.

Guest

"I am a bit lost, actually,"

Jake was used to the first years telling him they were lost, but colleagues... this was new. When the man asked him how he was going to get out of this 'horribly enclosed place', Jake almost laughed, almost. For a grown man, the professor before him seemed... well, a little lacking.

But the further explanation of needing to get outside drew Jake to the assumption that this man could quite possibly be the man that had been assigned as the replacement to A- the new Herbology teacher. Jake simply moved closer, motioning to the stairs. "I can show you, I was just heading home, actually." Jake explained to the man, moving down the first stair and turning slightly to check he was being followed. "I'm Jake, by the way, Jake Newbury, Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, I don't think we've met before..." He explained, hoping to learn the man's name. Perhaps they could become friends with that information, or at least acquaintances, it wasn't as if he had many friends at this school.

Guest

"I can show you, I was just heading home, actually."

"That would be very much appreciated, thank you," he replied, following the man closely lest they be separated. The introduction that came a little later made him smile a little more. Why couldn't everyone be so friendly? He met many people who didn't bother with introductions or full titles, which just made it awkward when he didn't know how to address them, especially if they got offended. That was probably the reason he preferred to stay with plants - they were much less complicated than any human being.

"I'm Damien Elson-Robin Peat," he replied, adding his usual, "You can call me whatever you wish," at the end. "I'm the new teac- ah, sorry, you use the term Professor here - I am the new Herbology Professor." The whole while, he made sure that he did not lose sight of the man, not wanting to get lost again. He desperately needed the fresh air, not the stale one he was now getting.

Guest

As they began to walk, Jake simply motioned to things that could help him show the way to go. Then, hopefully, the other man wouldn't get lost again when he came in to the castle. With the introduction as to who he was, Jake smiled at the man. "It's nice to meet you." Jake replied, wondering who on earth introduced themselves with their middle name.

Too much information? Definitely!

As they reached the main doors, Jake held it open for the older man before following him out. "Back in the wide open spaces." Jake told the man with a soft chuckle, personally he had no preference, but he could understand the confines if you were used to working outside.

» Its been a while (Jake)
» Fixing Me (Jake)
» I'm back (Jake)
» Private Tutoring (Jake)
» Afternoon talks (Jake)