Of Magic and Mystery

[amorous_dilemma]

Somewhere deep in the vaults of Hogwarts a rather unassuming mirror began to shiver. The glass which should have been stable by the laws of all known physics and extended magical lore distorted and threatened to melt itself for no discernable reason that could be observed. There was nothing notable about the weather, time, day or location. If certain conditions had been met it would seem undeniable that the mirror could melt away completely and resolve whatever instability was happening. That wouldn’t come to pass however and within moments the rather unassuming mirror returned to being entirely unnoticeable.

Somewhere else within the castle, located in a structurally significant area there was an office that attracted little attention and few people outside of the castles faculty knew existed. Hogwarts required more than meets the eye, magical or not, to operate anywhere close to it’s potential. It was undeniable the guiding light of the Headmaster, the teachers beneath them as well as the support faculty themselves were the sparks of life and the emotional expression of the school. The majority of people ignored the castle itself, not to say that Hogwarts could be considered sentient or anything of the sort, simply that as an ancient structure it had endured existence far longer than any witch or wizard could hope to. This simple state of being made the castle infinitely fascinating to those very few who were drawn to the discipline of geology, ancient structures and indeed magical history in general. And it had been found again and again that structures as old as Hogwarts were dripping with forgotten magic, charms misremembered by the original caster, curses undiscovered, other more unexplainable phenomena.

This office was residence to one such individual. The young man was unusual for his position although if you examined his lineage and field of study one would quickly realise his suitability for the role. Denrik was just passed his thirty fifth birthday and going through somewhat of an uncertain time, crisis definitely wouldn’t be the word he would use to describe such, no extravagant or spontaneous purchases had been made. No foundational shattering choices had been accidently decided…he was simply, a bit uncertain. And so when he received an owl from Hogwarts with an unexpected, unusual suggestion and prospect it was considered with all seriousness.
Here then he found himself the Artificer Professor at Hogwarts, though technically having no scheduled lectures it was within his duty should the school decided to implement. The weight of his role then at the school was in the study and maintenance of the physical castle and indeed in the magic that may cross over into his skillset. The more traditional magical tasks were reserved for those more adept at the task, Denrik covered the foundational tasks suited to a specialist as well as someone who understood the architecture of stone and ancient magic structures more deeply than the average Headmaster or professor.
Although young for the role at Hogwarts Denrik had an extensive list of experience to offset the significance of that role.
Having only arrived at Hogwarts late yesterday he barely had the capacity to undress before falling asleep and so as he awoke to the chamber assigned to his role his breath was slow and gentle as his mind relaxed into where he was. There was no urgency to his immediate schedule, though he knew must find the Headmistress this morning to take care of formalities…

Soon the day fell into an uninspired though at times interesting hustle of ensuring everything was in order and those that needed to know of his role were informed. Having given many evenings to pouring over whatever schematics and scrolls that he could find of the castle of Hogwarts Denrik felt rather comfortable finding his way around, though of course as it was always the thing with ancient magical structures mystery prevailed sometimes. As it approached twelve o’clock he was pleased to be able to make his way back to his office, many things required his attention. Denrik’s avocation had inspired him to ensure he had access to the tools and knowledge resources any artificer could ever desire at any time. And so one could be mistaken for thinking that the unassuming wardrobe Denrik was standing before was anything but that, an unassuming wardrobe. Ordinary though it might seem on closer inspection the wardrobe was a beautifully ornate creation, deep ebony timber etched with silver livery of untold origin. Powerful though not unusual protection enchantments were cast upon it to ensure it’s existence. Large enough for the door to accommodate a larger than average person to step through the wardrobe was also of course charmed by the extension charm, allowing a grand room to exist within the confines of the wardrobe.

It was this room that Denrik could call his own. His home if he thought about it long enough. The room wasn’t so large it felt cavernous however it could be considered grand, onyx stone and ebony timber formed the majority of the structure with both functional and decorative light placed throughout. In initial glances one could lose themselves in the amount of stuff happening, there were areas of organized chaos where a stonemason and metallurgy workshop seemed to strive for some aspiration under various charms, be it cleaning, sorting or other more specific endeavors. This was interrupted by areas of immaculate tooling or those of academic nature, a watchmakers workshop and moderate library also busied themselves with their own tasks. Other various workshops of intrigue could be found amongst the brilliance of Denriks office. Tapestries hung along the walls in places to soften the feel of the room or to facilitate some form of function, such as telling of instruction or inspiration. A few large stone segments seemed to draw focus from both ones eye and the various lights within the room, they told of extremely ancient structure and they all held strange runes carved into the stone surface. Display pieces or research items, perhaps both. Books, scrolls and relics or simple intriguing objects could be found wherever one looked though apart from the chaos of the crafting workshops there was a deep sense of care and organisation to his office. A more astounding aspect of this room was the feeling of attention to detail, Denriks personality quirks always guided his desire for perfection and unity, with any colour hue that could be found presenting itself as shades of blue, purple, green or yellow. There was something obsessive about it.

Towards the far end of the room against the wall there seemed to be an area of calm where Denriks more personal affects were kept. He made his way towards this area as he very much needed to refresh and begin unpacking his more personal things before the day disappeared…

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice Trelawny sat by herself in the refectory eating her evening meal. Being neither a professor nor a student she didn't really fit in with either group and with it being only her second week at Hogwarts she had yet to make many friends.

Not that she wasn't familiar with the place however. She'd been a Hufflepuff student some years before and it was this connection that had made her the ideal candidate for her current position as 'Inspector' for the Ministry of Magic. That and the fact that the Headmistress had always had a soft spot for her.

Alice was descended from generations of Trelawnies, all of whom had worked for Ministry. So, when Alice had graduated, her career path had been pretty much mapped out for her. She joined as a trainee and over time had worked her way up. This was Alice's first real role of any importance and she was determined to make a good job of it. She was to be embedded within Hogwarts on a permanent basis, returning to the Ministry in Whitehall once a month to file her report and to be debriefed.

Despite being able to trace her ancestry back generations, Alice was only half breed. Her mother's side of the family had originated from Ireland and had 'fey' blood in them. You could see it in the women in particular. Like Alice they were all slightly built, dark haired and green eyed, pretty in an understated way and with an air of impishness about them. Like Alice, they had a natural ability to charm people and a cheeky sense of humour. Alice could see why her father had fallen for her mother. It was the spark in her eyes wrapped up in that petite package. She must have been hard to resist.

Despite this, Alice had yet to find a partner. But that's not to say she hadn't had fun trying. Alice had modern sensibilities and, in London, had never been short of sexual partners, men and women, muggles and wizards. But nobody who had made her feel special. Now that she was at Hogwarts that part of her life was probably going to have to be put on hold or at least limited to occasional hook ups during her monthly visits to London. It was a sacrifice Alice was prepared to make. At twenty six, she was in no hurry to settle down.

Since arriving at Hogwarts, Alice had found her duties to be light. The relationship between the Ministry and Hogwarts was a delicate one and so she was there as a compromise. Observe, report, but don't make waves and keep on the right side of the headmistress. Alice had always found that easy. Despite being a somewhat challenging student, the Headmistress had always been fair with her. So the job gave her time both to study, to take long walks and to explore the castle's labyrinthine structure, something she'd always enjoyed as a student.

After finishing her meal Alice took a stroll before retiring to her rooms for the evening. There was a chill in the Highland air. Soon it would be autumn and then winter. It could quite bleak in the winter but there was no point in wishing away the long summer days. Winter would come when it was ready.

Alice's accommodation was simple enough but sufficient for her needs, with a window with a view of the loch and the mountains in the distance. After reading for a while, she removed her clothes and naked, lay back on her bed. To help her relax, she conjured up a thousand invisible lips that delicately kissed her body, while her hands played with her own petite breasts, pinching the nipples until they became hard. She trailed one hand down to her pussy and toyed with herself, thinking about some long passed sexual adventure she'd once enjoyed, until she let out a little sigh of release. Then she lay back as the endorphins ran around her body and waited for sleep to take her...

 

[amorous_dilemma]

Although Denrik could very well and quite simply wave his wand and be done with any unpacking remaining sometimes he found doing such tasks with his own hands brought things into his mind and body more thoroughly. In this case laying hands on his more personal belongings and journals reminded him of his place in the world and the memories absorbed into those items or writings. Having also learned the importance or perhaps the difference of perspective this provided from his mother who was a muggle. He was very fond of the memory of his mother and all the things he was exposed to living with a foot in either world, at least for a time.

Two large bags made of unusual leather and adorned with functional linen straps sat on the bed which seemed to be the focus of the far wall. There was a deliberate pattern to this area of the room with the bed forming a certain natural anchor to the visual display. Created as a half circle shape that could easily accommodate three or four people comfortably the beds flat edge nestled against the wall and dressed with all manor of luxurious materials. With what seemed to be the other half of the circle shape fulfilling the role of the headboard upholstered in similar material. Seven feet or so from the edge of the curved bed a moderate writing desk was centered on the arc, a small selection of quills, ink pots, scrolls and various stationary lay neatly arranged on the desk which was crafted of the same ebony timber as much of the room. Following the curving arc of the desk parallel with the bed were a couple of large dressers the same height and craft as the writing desk. It was into these dressers Denrik contentedly arranged all of the clothes retrieved from his bags.

With that particular task done he moved to begin unbuttoning his shirt, long sleeved and close fitting in the colour of charcoal linen and as it slipped from his shoulders it revealed an arrangement of tattoos that covered a lot of his upper back and shoulder structure. Denrik was unassuming in most ways, standing a little under six foot with a figure that told of a relatively disciplined diet and someone who spent a fair amount of time engaging in manual tasks with occasional purposeful focus on exertion. These tattoos however were a little more than unassuming. Although not unheard of in the magical world tattoos were considered odd muggle stuff by many and didn’t really have a place in much of the magical community. There was something unusual about the tattoos covering Denriks back though, an eclectic combination of runes, script, sigils and general patterns that seemed to simultaneously exist separately from each other as well as being intrinsic to the pattern as a whole.

Laying the shirt on the bed beside him Denrik moved his hands to undo the fine leather belt at his waist, removing a pair of black suit pants, standard yet of high quality tailoring with a fine thread of silver pinstripe adorning it’s length. These joined the shirt upon the bed and within a couple more moments the simple black trunk style underwear he wore did as well. Denrik enjoyed a soft breath at the feeling of being unhindered by clothing taking a moment to assess his immediate state and take note of the last things he needed to do. Retrieving his wand, which much like the majority of his belongings was altogether unusual, from the writing desk where he had placed it earlier Denrik made a couple of slight motions to cast a spell that would clean and put away the clothes he just removed as well as the accio charm which would summon his evening robe for him. Letting a slight smile form on his lips as the robe magically unburied itself from whatever remained in his bag and floated towards him until he took it gently from the air and slipped it around his shoulders, not bothering to tie it just at the moment.

After spending the next little while unpacking and ensuring everything had it’s place Denrik felt pleased with the state of things and in great want of a bath before he slept, made his way to the bathroom. There were two doors set into the stone wall a few feet from either side of the bed which each opened up into the same bathroom that echoed the half circle shape of the bedroom. At his presence dull lumos globes lit the half circular space. Along the sweeping curve of the back wall an alcove was centered and set back from the wall to create a hidden niche that accommodated the porcelain throne. This alcove wall was something like five feet wide following the curve of the outer wall upon which an intricate stone carving seemed to meld into the wall from floor to ceiling, there were carved depictions of astronomy and geology, sexuality and romance, all kinds of stories of science and magic and lust. More astoundingly though was the grand statue that incorporated itself into this wall. Carved in, around and of the wall was the figure of a lady who stood a foot taller than Denrik. Intricate detail captured the beauty of the unclothed form, the stone face gentle and unassuming as it gazed down into the bathroom. Hair carved in long thick flowing lengths down her body. Her outstretched hand holding a vessel that poured a strong stream of water into the bath below. Inset into the floor there was a large circular bath that was now almost full, a slight haze of steam emanating from it’s surface. Opposite the statue on the straight wall where the doors where incorporated there was a grand mirror that covered the majority of the expanse between the doors, several feet wide and floor to ceiling. Framed by an ornate black metal that almost seemed to absorb light. The entirety of the bathroom was constructed of various stone and tile, seemingly pieced together from thousands of broken shards. Hues of blacks and charcoals, of greys and ebony, textures of sandstone and river rock, of marble and basalt. Held together by a kind of magic and the skill of the craftsman.

Denrik let himself linger in front of the mirror for a moment. His masculine face never seemed to have more or less than a couple of days worth of stubble and his abyss black hair was shaved short. The pale complexion of his skin made the light spattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks and down around his shoulders slightly more noticeable. There in the mirror as he gazed at himself there was something intriguing about his eyes that not many people had been able to discern. Tinged with a light blue of sapphire and almost etched with an ethereal silver thread. A gentle breath absently washed from his lips and he turned away from the mirror to find a path around to the statue where he slipped the robe from his shoulders and hung it over the stony ladys other hand perfectly placed for such a task.

There in the quiet of the dimly lit dark bathroom, water trickle the only echo he found himself caught by a lost thought. One he could not quite narrow and so simply let himself be lost for a moment. As if by instinct Denrik slowly stepped into the warm bath and enjoyed the feeling of his naked body being smothered by the calm warmth of the water. His lost thoughts explored through his memories and his sense of where he now was. He had always been a romantic no expectations kind of lover, strong in who he felt himself to be though generally quiet and reserved. Carrying some anxious nerdy energy which aided him greatly in his work. Anxiety and love of the mystery of the world constantly trying to find reconciliation with the deep void of lust that embedded in his veins. It was these unusual and perhaps stronger than average feelings and intuitions about the world that kept him alone, was Denriks theory anyway. His experiences with romance and with people left him feeling unsure there was any significant resolution to the question of love. And surely given everything known about the universe and the lore of magic there would certainly not be a significant resolution the same for every individual.

His thoughts wondered deeper into what life could mean and the way his path had wound itself to where he currently found himself. There was a general dull excitement that thudded deep within him somewhere, this was Hogwarts and many great things had happened here. He was rather humbled to have been offered this position and the chance to learn about the castle and research the surrounding geology…

…Sometime later Denrik woke himself with a short breath and realised he had somehow drifted off to sleep while relaxing in the bath. Water barely warm though in the insulated stone room of the bathroom that mattered little as the air now almost perfectly matched the water. With some reluctance Denrik withdrew himself from the luxurious nature of the bath, retrieving his wand from the pocket of the robe a quick motion caused himself to become dry and he made his way to bed. Falling into the sheets and pillows he sighed gratefully, the colder air of his office teasing along his bare back and backside lightly as he tucked his wand into the cover of one of the pillows around him, he snuggled up as he drifted off to sleep again.
Intrigued by what tomorrow may bring.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice was woken by the early morning sunlight streaming in through the window. It was Friday and she had that Friday feeling about her. She could hear the the castle waking up with her. The rumble of people getting ready to begin their day. Alice wished she was still a student in a way. She'd enjoyed her time at Hogwarts. It had been simpler back then.

She got up and took a tepid shower. The castle's antiquated plumbing meant that it took ages to get any hot water but she found it invigorating. It helped to focus her mind. Jump in, soap herself down as quickly as possible, then let the cool water wash her body clean again. All achieved in less than two minutes. Alice would have killed for a hot bath some nights but an invigorating shower was just what was required of a morning.

Her nipples were hard by the time she'd finished and she dried herself off quickly then stood in front of the small bathroom mirror and brushed her teeth.

Alice tried to dress as befitted a woman from the ministry. She wasn’t a lecturer and so the quirky clothes of professorial staff weren’t for her. Instead she wore a modern charcoal coloured skirt suit over a white satin blouse. Her underwear was plain. A simple white bra and white cotton panties. But Alice was a traditionalist however and always wore stockings held up by simple black suspenders.

Her skirt was a little shorter than perhaps it should have been. She had to remember to cross her legs if she was sitting down and on view, but the headmistress seemed to approve and since she was meeting her today, Alice thought to wear the ensemble. She and the headmistress met every Friday to review any issues Alice might have identified during the week. It seemed a bit unnecessary to Alice but the headmistress insisted and since Alice knew very few people she was glad of the human contact.

Once dressed, Alice made her way to the refectory for breakfast. Once again she sat by herself but as she was tucking in to her bacon and eggs a rather handsome young man approached her.

 

[amorous_dilemma]

Eyes slowly opened and a breath softly inhaled as Denrik awoke, rolling lightly onto his back there were a couple of things his mind focused on initially. Above him there was a beautiful display that covered the ceiling in fog and stars, in moons and shifting weather. He had charmed the ceiling above his bed to mimic some star patterns, movement of the sun and little such things. This aided him in keeping rhythm with the outside world as extraordinary as the extension charm might be to facilitate grand spaces such as Denriks office, it wasn’t practical having an exterior window when your location was deep within a castle. He supposed there would be some way to achieve that, it simply wasn’t high enough on the priority list. Watching for a moment as the sun in his ceiling slowly began to reveal itself from behind the dark clouds there was a faint smile on Denriks lips…today was here and the dull excitement from last night had grown into a nervous anticipation.

It could be that this excitement spilled over into other thoughts, it could be that he hadn’t had the opportunity to please himself in a little while. Perhaps it was the sense of calm he felt at being able to relax now he was settled. In any case there along side the excitement of the day a strong sense of arousal thudded through him. Suddenly the skin down along his stomach and thighs tingled and Denrik realised just how aroused he was. Though he was usually his most amorous in the mornings this was a little surprising, if he so chose to reach down and feel his throbbing hardness he would find how very wet with eager desire he was…
Contemplating his morning for a few moments he decided this had to wait though couldn’t resist the feeling of sliding a hand down his stomach to stroke himself slowly a couple of times.

Soon after Denrik had prepared himself for the day ahead, a quick splash in the cold bath always pulled his senses into focus followed by wrapping himself in his usual dress clothes. A version of suit pant usually black or dark navy in colour pulled up over a usual choice of black trunk style underwear, a charcoal linen shirt with a suit vest to match the pants he chose. Belts buckles and clasps were all of unusual black leather adorned with silver hardware. Pulling a finely tailored charcoal tailcoat jacket over his shoulders made him feel comfortable and prepared. Fastening the jacket with enough buttons to be firm but not so restricting. Denrik placed two rings onto the thumb and index finger of his left hand, though exquisite in nature one could be mistaken for thinking they were tattoos their craft was so thin and ethereal. It was difficult to narrow the material of their make and there were delicate patterns of silver etched across their surface that mimicked the design of the tattoos etched across Denriks back. These rings were more of function than anything. Though not anywhere near as powerful as a wand they achieved a measure of similarity and allowed Denrik versatility and increased dexterity when searching, assessing and handling relics or other such items. Noting his wand was in it’s place in the inside pocket of his jacket the newly arrived Professor of Artifice began his day at Hogwarts.

It was early still and for quite a while the only people to greet Denriks path were assistants to the major professors and a couple of students who looked as though were either trying to avoid being found at this early hour, or put together enough to indicate they were attending some extracurricular activity. It was the nature of Denriks avocation that for the most part he didn’t really know exactly what it was he should do, especially in situations like Hogwarts. There was a general sense of what should be accomplished and it was his task to build the path in order to reach that aspiration, though usually there weren’t much more than whispers to build that path. Here at Hogwarts it was a bit different, there were whispers in every block of stone, every painting, every spider that called a dark out of the way corner it’s home. History built on history built on history that was indeed still a thriving perpetual ecology. One benefit Denrik held as a comfort to his work here was that at least for now his invitation was open ended and although he generally had no previous interactions with Hogwarts and it’s keepers the discussion with the Headmistress yesterday gave him comfort as well. They both seemed to be of the same mind when it came to his purpose here and from every sense available to Denrik she was as genuine as one could be. Such was to be expected from the Headmistress of Hogwarts he surmised.

Hours passed as he wandered the halls and corridors of the magnificent castle, deciding one of the first things he should do was confirm and update were necessary the maps and documentation within his possession. There was no telling what kind of endeavor that may be, it would all depend on the preciseness of the current documentation. Arduous though it may seem initially Denrik had perfected the skill of map making and reference building. This is where the rings on his fingers were beneficial, being able to charm the maps in focus to levitate beside him with his left hand, a charmed quill at attentive state should it be required to make annotations. This allowed his mind and his wand clear concentration for detecting concealed pathways or minor concealment charms. It wasn’t Denriks intention to discover every secret Hogwarts had to offer for indeed that would probably take many lifetimes. His task at the moment was simply to ensure the precision of his maps. Should the integrity of Hogwarts and his aspirations here come into conflict that would be a conversation to be had with the Headmistress.

Not until there was a gentle knot in his stomach did he think to stop. It was more than a good idea to take a break for some breakfast. Realising now that the intensity of his focus had dropped a little that the corridors were busier with students rushing about, no doubt late or frantic because of some assessment or another. There were a few students who noted him with some oddity though Denrik could hazard a guess this school saw all kinds of unusual goings on.
It wasn’t long before he made his way to the refractory having slipped his maps and quills into the pockets of his jacket and busied himself with collecting some breakfast from the vast extraordinary spreads of food one could ever want...

 

[amorous_dilemma]

...The majority of students had already moved on for their day with only small groups of older students remaining and a few of the professors scattered about the tables. A couple of whom Denrik met yesterday the majority of which still strangers to him. As he walked slowly down the aisles of tables someone seemed to attract his gaze in a curious way.
Coming to stand by the lady he wasn’t sure he could figure out why she attracted him so. Certainly she was beautiful, the slight build of her shoulders that followed up to her lean though pretty facial features captured in a certain way by the dark colour of her hair. He had absently noted perhaps she seemed to be the only one sitting alone in the refractory hall. There were one or two other professors sitting alone though they were clearly busy buried in scrolls, books or parchment with their owls waiting contentedly for whatever letter their master would give them. The plate of breakfast on the table in front of her nearly finished it wasn’t until Denrik approached that she noticed him. As she looked up to him there was no sorrow there in the deep green of her gaze, a swirling emerald shimmer of promise and comfort. Perhaps like him she felt assured in herself such that eating alone bothered her little. Still, Denrik felt attracted to her and intrigued to ask.
“Morning, I don’t mean to interrupt you. Though I wonder if you might like to finish what breakfast you have left with some company?” Being a well travelled individual his accent was an unusual but pleasant blend carried by a comforting deep tone.
Waiting a moment for her reply his eyes seemed to be unable to turn away from hers until she replied with a slight smile and gestured for him to do so. Taking his seat across from her at the large wooden table he spread his own plates of breakfast out in front of him along with a large stone mug of coffee.
“How are you this morning, what’s on for your day?” Denrik inquired thoughtfully. “This is some breakfast offering.” He added.
“Excuse my honesty you just seemed to be the only one here alone and I was intrigued by that. Unusual as this may be this is my first morning at Hogwarts and so, had I not found you I too would have been having breakfast alone. My name is Denrik Dunn, Artificer Professor .”
Between making sure to eat enough while listening to the lovely lady across from him and wanting to know more about her he tried asking things that might seem obvious but were courteous enough. “I can’t seem to place you, you’re not a professor so what brings you to Hogwarts?”
Considering his responses when appropriate, taking deep refreshing sips of his coffee and feeling altogether attracted to the gorgeous green eyes glancing at him between the conversation and the general goings on of the hall the two of them seemed to sit and exchange formalities for a long pleasant while. Touching on minor personal topics as they arose there was a sense of immediate familiarity with her. Very intriguing. The topic of his purpose at Hogwarts soon came up and he explained his position in a way most people seemed to understand.
“Sometimes a castle such as Hogwarts requires maintenance and assessment the likes of which most Professors and even Head faculty don’t necessarily have the skills or simple time to dedicate to. Especially given the castles use as an institutional school and the liability involved. My avocation had unknown to me, placed me at the top of whatever lists the Headmistress used to select the position.” Pausing slowly for another sip of the coffee Denrik felt her contentment in listening and so continued.
“My experience with ancient structures and magical lore aids greatly in this endeavor, it’s very exciting to be able to spend some time of my life here in whatever assisting capacity I am able.” With a thought he remembered that a lot of faculty were previously students of the school and not many like him were newcomers. “Are you familiar with Hogwarts, did you attend as a student?” He wondered.
As minutes turned into an hour and beyond Denrik became aware of the possibility of overstaying his welcome. Plates and mug empty he found the emerald gaze of the lady across from him and smiled genuinely. It was difficult to describe though there was an air of something about her, the tone of her voice, the shimmer of her eyes, the subtle dance of her fingers as she spoke. It was noticeable but indescribable, something mysteriously playful.
“Should you be interested, lets find each other later today once your duties are taken care of?” His suggestion was a little nervous but entirely hopeful.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

“Morning, I don’t mean to interrupt you. Though I wonder if you might like to finish what breakfast you have left with some company?” the young man said looking down at her.

Alice knew the effect that looking directly into her eyes had on most people. It wasn't off the scale, just a sort of welcoming calmness that made people feel as though they wanted to be with her. Of course Alice knew the buttons to press to take it to the next level, her mother had taught her, just as her grandma had taught her mother. But that was for 'special' occasions, not breakfast chit chat.

"Come and join me" Alice replied. "There's plenty of space. I'm glad of the company."

The young man sat down opposite her and laid out his breakfast

“This is some breakfast offering.” he joked.

"Nobody ever goes hungry at Hogwarts," Alice laughed

“Excuse my honesty you just seemed to be the only one here alone and I was intrigued by that. Unusual as this may be this is my first morning at Hogwarts and so, had I not found you I too would have been having breakfast alone. My name is Denrik Dunn, Artificer Professor .”

"I'm Alice. Alice Trelawny," she replied offering him her hand and maintaining eye contact. "I'm new here too, well sort of. This is only my second week back. I was here as a student but that was a while ago now. It feels very different coming back as an adult."

“I can’t seem to place you, you’re not a professor so what brings you to Hogwarts?”
"Ah well, that's because I'm the lady from the Ministry of Magic," she explained, then added, laughing. "So you'd better be on your best behaviour or I'll have to report you."

Alice thought about what she'd just said and thought she should probably qualify her explanation.

"That was a joke by the way. I'm here to act as a sort of liaison between Hogwarts and the Ministry and make sure that educational standards are maintained. As i said its only my second week here, so I'm still trying to get my 'feet under the table' as it were. So what does an Artifice Professor do with his time?"

“Sometimes a castle such as Hogwarts requires maintenance and assessment the likes of which most Professors and even Head faculty don’t necessarily have the skills or simple time to dedicate to. Especially given the castles use as an institutional school and the liability involved. My avocation had unknown to me, placed me at the top of whatever lists the Headmistress used to select the position.... My experience with ancient structures and magical lore aids greatly in this endeavor, it’s very exciting to be able to spend some time of my life here in whatever assisting capacity I am able.”

Denrik had one of those European accents that was hard to place and his use of grammar suggested that either he'd been born a hundred years or that English wasn't the language he'd grown up with. His politeness and formality had a certain sexiness to it though she thought.

"Well if you need any help making your way around the castle, let me know. Few people have had as much time to explore this castle as the students who spent seven years here."

Alice looked up at the clock and realised she was late.

"Ooh. I must be off. I'm supposed to be sitting in on a class this morning. It was nice meeting you Professor Dunn."

Alice stood up and gathered together her belongings. It was a moment or two before she realised that her skirt had ridden up slightly. She really should have bought a longer one. Slightly embarrassed, she smoothed the skirt down and back into place.

"Well hopefully i'll see you around again," she added.

“Should you be interested, lets find each other later today once your duties are taken care of?” Denrik suggested.

Alice had hoped he might suggest something like that, not least because she really needed someone to go to the pub with. It wasn't really ladylike to be seen drinking alone. But she'd been at Hogwarts for almost two weeks now and she had a craving for a pint of beer or maybe two.

"Well, as its Friday, how would you fancy taking me for a drink at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade this evening?" she asked. "I could show you the village too if you liked.

 

[amorous_dilemma]

Denrik felt comfortable and welcome during the conversation at breakfast and couldn’t ignore the feeling of intrigue he had for the lady he now knew as Alice. There was something he couldn’t place. Something unseen.
Smiling gently as she playfully threatened him with sanction.
"So you'd better be on your best behaviour or I'll have to report you."
“It would be in both our interests not to watch me too closely then Miss Trelawny…not in an official capacity at least.” Denrik responded genuinely though with a teasing tone that surprised him. Usually not letting his professionalism erode this easily.

At her seemingly natural offer to aid in exploring the castle he decided it would be possible to enjoy having someone accompany him, even for brief moments. It was also a fair observation she made that someone a little more intimate with the culture of the castle could be beneficial.
"Well if you need any help making your way around the castle, let me know. Few people have had as much time to explore this castle as the students who spent seven years here."
“You’re welcome to join me whenever you feel, and until such time that you tire of it, it isn’t frequently I come across people who enjoy map restoration like I do.” Denrik offered his honesty on the task.

Alice indicated her need to leave and in gathering her things and rising from the table Denrik could not ignore the accidental way her charcoal skirt had slid up her thighs. Not so much to reveal anything intimate, just enough to be considered a bit awkward. Removing his attention as soon as he became aware of it he nodded his agreement of her sentiment.

As the end of the conversation but the beginning of further plans unfolded Denrik smiled thoughtfully.
"Well, as its Friday, how would you fancy taking me for a drink at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade this evening?" she asked. "I could show you the village too if you liked.”

The idea that Alice suggested sounded fantastic, it had been a few weeks since Denrik had the opportunity for a good drink, or anything to alter his state of consciousness really.
“It would be my pleasure to take you for a drink Alice, thank you for the offer.” Denrik responded fondly. “It’s been too long since I glorified a Friday over drinks with someone. Let’s also wander the village, I’d appreciate that.”
“Should we meet at Merlins Gate around four if that’s suitable? He offered.

As Alice took her leave Denrik could not defy his nature and looked on as she walked away from their table and from the hall. It wasn’t that he admired her out of pure desire though there was certainly a whisper of that. It was also anchored in that intrigued that surrounded her. The way her fair skinned legs walked with purpose and the slight sway of her charcoal skirt mimicked her hips was no detriment either though.

After a little while Denrik observed the refractory hall more deliberately and retrieving the maps he was working on earlier and made a couple of notes. Unsure what to do with the empty breakfast plates and mug he took an inquisitive look around, people seemed to just leave them including Alice and so Denrik could only assume that was the procedure. In a few more moments he made his own way from the hall and returned to his task. Though now slightly distracted by the occasional thoughts of Alice and his anticipation of seeing her again later.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice couldn't help swaying her hips a little bit more than normal as she walked away from Denrik. He was cute in a slightly formal sort of way and opportunities for flirting at Hogwarts were few and far between.

She spent the morning watching a bunch of first year students taking a Herbology class. It had taken her back to her first days at the college. She had been a cheeky young thing but somehow she'd always managed to steer clear of overstepping the mark, gaining a reputation for impish fun rather than anything too disruptive.

In the afternoon she watched the quidditch first team practicing, before making sure she arrived in good time for the Headmistress. At four o'clock precisely she was ushered into her study where the Headmistress sat behind a large oak desk.

"Alice," the Headmistress began. "Every time i see you it takes me back to when you were a student here. How time flies. What have you got to report for me this week?"

"Very little Headmistress to be honest. Certainly nothing bad. Everything seems to be functioning as it should."

"Good. We like to run a tight ship. And are you keeping busy?"

"I'm doing what's required of me but, I must admit, i have some free time."

"Then perhaps you could perform a little service for me."

"Of course Headmistress, how can i be of assistance."

"We have a new Professor staying with us. Denrik Dunn. Among other things, he's mapping the castle. I'd like you to get to know him, offer him your help as an ex student."

"Of course Headmistress. May i ask why?"

"I'm keen to learn what he learns about Hogwarts. And I want to know everything. Will you be my eyes and ears, Alice?"

"Certainly Headmistress. In fact I met Professor Dunn this morning, we're going for a drink at the Three Broomsticks this evening."

"Excellent," The Headmistress responded then hesitated for a moment. "Alice, your charms are no secret to me and I know you're no stranger to modern dating. I wouldn't be disappointed if you used your charms with Professor Dunn. I hope we understand each other. But of course we never had this conversation, understood?"

"Errr, Yes Headmistress."

"Excellent. Then that's sorted. You can report to me in our weekly meetings. Now, Sherry?..."

Alice came out of the Headmistresses study a bit shell-shocked. She rushed back to her rooms to change otherwise she was going to be late for Denrik. Nothing special, just jeans and a tee shirt. But then she remembered what the Headmistress had said and swapped the tee shirt for a blouse, leaving a couple of buttons tantalisingly undone.

Then she went to meet Denrik.

 

[amorous_dilemma]

Denrik had made remarkable progress on the lower floor of the castle, having covered everything from the edge of the boathouse through to the kitchens much to the uncertainty of the elves. Traversing up into the Great Hall. For the moment deciding to avoid the changing staircases as they would require their own assessment and mapping methods. Exploring the public halls of the House wings and coming to appreciate the beauty of the courtyards in this area of the castle. He had lingered in the main courtyard that lead to the footbridge across the gorge, gazing up at the clock set into the stone of the building. Wondering when it might have been that mechanism breathed it’s first second. There was little point exploring much beyond the gatehouse at the end of the footbridge for the moment and so Denrik turned to retrace his path and continue on where he needed.

It was here an adorable what Denrik could only assume to be a first year seemed to stop him in his tracks accidentally. The look of bewilderment though surety was a humorous expression on the young boys face. Fair skinned and almost platinum hair he measured Denrik for a moment before asking. “What are you doing?”
Denrik couldn’t resist a soft laugh as memories of his childhood surfaced, he felt fondly that this would have been how he seemed to his father whenever Denrik found him doing something he found intriguing.
“I’m restoring maps of the Hogwarts castle.” He responded plainly, bending down a little as to show the boy his maps and quill arrangement. “See this corridor here, it’s not precise enough and the scale is misjudged by whoever fashioned the original.” Denrik explained.
With a notable nod the boy seemed to understand, or perhaps didn’t at all and wasn’t interested in exploring this further. Either way he smiled up at Denrik and with a courteous mention went on his way. “Thank you Professor.”
Denrik surmised the boy didn’t really know if he was a professor or not, it was simply that he was an adult at Hogwarts doing seemingly important things.

Hours passed and again he found himself thinking of the lady he met at breakfast. Alice. It was very unexpected although he didn’t necessarily have prebuilt expectations about what his time at Hogwarts might offer. Still, it was unexpected. He could envision her eyes even now. Moments faded by and he began to feel that familiar strong thud of arousal request its way into his veins. Perhaps he should have taken care of himself when he woke this morning. A contemplation argued through his mind, if he took some additional time this afternoon before he met with Alice that could be taken care of and it might knock the sharpness off his anxiety. Although there was something entirely appealing about keeping that turmoil of lust at full capacity. One of the last things he wanted to do was create an insurmountably awkward problem with the faculty here, though Denrik was a reasonable person and despite the depths of his desire sometimes always attempted to carry himself honestly and carefully. This was to mean if Alice suggested she shared these interests it would be wonderful having kept that state of indescribable lust. After refocusing himself from getting lost in an internal deliberation Denrik busied himself with finding a natural break point in the mapping process.

Having spent the remainder of the day meticulously restoring and confirming the maps he had it didn’t feel like long before he knew he should break for the afternoon and ready himself to meet Alice.
Returning to his office Denrik noted he had half an hours grace before the possible meeting time at Merlins Gate. There wasn’t much to do but keep his anxiety in check, having resolved himself not to orgasm and to see where the whispers of fate carried him in that regard. He calmly readied himself for the evening, finding it a little odd to change out of his dress clothes so to say. He always felt more together in a way with the formality of his dress. That could just be the anxiety causing him doubt that he ignored as he slipped on some charcoal jeans that were worn but respectable. Slimfit but not overly so. Finding a standard black shirt and throwing a dark grey with light blue plaid jacket over his shoulder. Gathering his wand and his watch which he forgot this morning though didn’t really have much use for at the castle. His wand found its home in the perfect little pocket he crafted into most of his pants, hidden vertically in the thigh seem half way down his hip so that there was no hinderance when sitting or moving. This method came about from hearing too many people snap or damage their wands from lazily keeping them in rear pockets of carelessly placed in jackets that get sat on awkwardly.
With a breath Denrik made his way through the castle grounds towards the gate. The path to Hogsmeade began at the gate and that was about all he knew of Hogsmeade, apart from the obvious. That because of it’s proximity to Hogwarts it enjoyed the visit from a lot of professors and students alike. Mostly because it seemed to be quite a village for supplies, services and shopping for the surrounding area.

Waiting a little while gave Denrik a moment to look out onto the grounds of the castle. Over on the low hills to his left there was the Groundskeeper building. Denrik hadn’t met them as of yet and was interested in doing so, perhaps sometime next week now. Slightly beyond that the dark forest began with a light spattering of trees that soon thickened into a dense forest. Even he had heard some of the myths and stories about the dark forest, smiling thoughtfully at the consideration of their validity.
There was a light tread of footsteps behind him so Denrik turned to find Alice approach him.
“Afternoon Alice. I hope your day was well in the end?” He asked of the lovely lady now standing beside him with a gentle smile. She was even more attractive in the slowly dulling golden light of the afternoon. Sunlight glinting in the emerald of her eyes and playing off the brilliant white of her blouse and the subtle curves of her chest exposed to the air. It wasn’t a deliberate admiration simply where his eyes drew him for a moment.

The two of them fell into a slow walk as Denrik spoke again. “I’ve been curious to ask you all day, Ministry work isn’t usually something one chooses lightly I’m lead to believe. What drew you to that and your taking of this position at the castle? You mentioned this morning it felt different being back here, are you able to capture that feeling or is it something you just know within yourself?
Denrik and Alice exchanged some relatively utilitarian questions on their way to the village. The walk to Hogsmeade wasn’t long and the sun was still in its glory of the afternoon by the time they entered the main street and Alice looked at Denrik with a pleasant smile, gesturing for him to follow.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice had always liked Hogsmeade, ever since she'd first visited it. The shops were, quite literally, magical places. When she'd been old enough to drink butter beer she'd loved visiting the Three Broomsticks on a Friday. It had felt like such an adult thing to do. Now, walking towards the village with Denrik she was excited to be able to show someone else around the village for their first time. Share some of the excitement that she had for the place.

Denrik was an interesting person although his language did make Alice want to giggle at times.

“I’ve been curious to ask you all day, Ministry work isn’t usually something one chooses lightly I’m lead to believe. What drew you to that and your taking of this position at the castle? You mentioned this morning it felt different being back here, are you able to capture that feeling or is it something you just know within yourself?

"My parents worked for the Ministry, their parents before them, and so on. So it's a bit of a family tradition really. I took the job at Hogwarts because it was a promotion. I mean, I guess my life had sort of been based around the Ministry and Whitehall until then. And its definitely where i want to return to. I'm not an academic after all. But taking this job shows that I'm serious about my career at the Ministry. If I do it for a couple of years then, when another job comes up back in London, this will stand me in good stead for it. I'm still single so I can take on something like this but i won't deny I'm going to miss London and the nightlife though... As for feeling different now that I'm back. Well everywhere feels different when you're a child i guess. You have no responsibilities but at the same time you're not really free to do whatever you want. Now i have responsibilities but I have more freedom. I've got very happy memories of being here as a child. All the friends I made and the people i knew. But of course all of those students are gone and making their own lives now. The building's the same but the people are different. Well, almost all of the people are different. I don't know. Maybe you shouldn't come back to your childhood haunts "

Reflecting on things had rather dampened Alice's mood and so to lighten the conversation she changed the subject.

"So tell me about your childhood?" she asked. "Where did you grow up. That's a very hard to place accent you have."

When they reached the village Alice gave Denrik a quick tour, allowing him to choose which shops he wanted to go inside. She was keen to go to the pub though. She was desperate for a pint but she tried her best not to show it.

 

[amorous_dilemma]

As Alice described herself and the family standing with the Ministry Denrik listened and nodded when he understood what she was saying and where she was coming from. Feeling similar thoughts at a couple of situations she described which made him smile thoughtfully as he reflected. Her enthusiasm and eagerness to answer the question trailed off somewhat as she seemed to conclude her reflections on the question. Denrik noticed the slight fade in her demeanor as her voice stopped and he was curious why, though didn’t want to ask as it might not be the place or indeed he the person to ask. He doubted she would appreciate an outright stranger trying to delve deeper into her sorrows no matter his intention.

It was then a perfect little amusement to him when she asked about his past. He had a clear choice in his response to this question. Open a pit of sadness for them both and hope she held on to him if they chose to fall into it, or, delay that possibility until a later time. He considered his choice the wise one for the moment and looked at her with a content smile.
"So tell me about your childhood?" she asked. "Where did you grow up. That's a very hard to place accent you have."
“That is a question better left until another day Miss Trelawny, or after a few pints if you’re feeling bold.” Thinking for a moment he offered her something. “Suffice to say, I grew up everywhere, and nowhere.”
Trying not to let his mind linger here he tried his utmost to say something that might reassure her or rescue the air around them from this slightly moody atmosphere. Becoming a bit anxious about trying so hard for something to say made him realise he should just let the quiet sit. This was natural and it was what it meant entirely to be alive. To embrace the other side of joy.

The two of them wandered the main avenue of Hogsmeade called High Street, though there were smiles and slight conversation of interesting venues they passed by Denrik could sense Alice was still distracted and perhaps a little angsty to get to their destination. He felt much the same in honesty and didn’t dwell long having a brief look into the store windows that interested him. He could return here at any time.

After a little while longer Denrik turned to Alice and suggested with a genuine want echoed in his voice. “Lets find the Three Broomsticks, I need a drink.”
With some breath of understanding Denrik could tell Alices’ smile brightened a little and she seemed relieved. He thought this was cute though didn’t express anything. And it also wasn't as though she was being deliberate about it, it was pure politeness betrayed a little by the way she shifted and the smiles that weren't all there. There is a fullness to a person that is gigantic, nuanced and indefinable. He enjoyed seeing everything a person offered the world.
Pushing open the aged heavy wooden door of the Inn the feeling was almost exactly what Denrik was hoping for. Warm and relatively crowded the atmosphere was a bit smoky though everything was as clean as you could expect from a busy pub as well as altogether welcoming. Alice guided the way through the various tables and people enjoying their Friday evening. A large mirror behind the bar reflected the cosy feeling with a fascinating display of various bottles of alcohol and other things he was sure.
Denrik was content in following Alice to wherever she chose to sit, she was the local here afterall. Once the two cozied into their own nook of the Inn Denrik didn't feel the need to idle about and so asked. Raising his voice just a little above the surrounding noise.
“What would you recommend and what would you like, I’ll get the first round.”
Alice was fairly concise with her suggestions and request which he appreciated.

Returning in a timely manor with drinks in hand he placed them down on the table in front of them as he sat. Feeling a sense of relaxation begin to creep in around him. A slow breath brought his focus back to the lady across from him, a nice similarity of this morning.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice wasn’t impressed. She’d gladly told Demrik about herself and her reasons for coming to Hogwarts. But when she asked him a simple question about himself he’d shut her down with some nonsense about growing up everywhere and nowhere.

There was a difference between being enigmatic and being pompous and in Alice’s eyes he’d just crossed the line. She resolved not to ask any more questions if he was going to be like that nor answer any more of his until there was some measure of quid pro quo.

Except for the question about what she was drinking of course.

“A pint of ale please,” she replied.