A New Adventure

[Matt Breaker]

Matt hoisted his messenger bag over his shoulder as he exited the train and stepped onto the platform. He was supposed to be taking up his new position as a professor of Hogwarts schools but before he did that decided to explore the wizarding village of Hogsmeade. He knew that this village was very close to the school; with teachers and students often frequenting it on their free time so it was good for him to know the area.

He glanced around the main street as he stepped into the heart of the village; checking out the businesses in the area. He didn't look outwardly cautious as he strolled down the road but his eyes took in every detail. This was a bit of a habit he had picked up when he was involved in the war; as missing a vital detail could mean an ambush or death. He knew that although the war had been over for a while; some of it's effects lingered in the hearts and minds of those who had lived through it.

One place that caught his eye. It was the Three Broomsticks Inn. It looked like a lively and cosy place to have a drink and maybe spend the night.

'Ah mind as well check this place out...I need a place to stay for a bit until I am needing to get to Hogwarts. Afterall, I still have to see where my futures students were left off when the previous professor had quit.' He thought idly as he started towards the building; eager to get inside and relax a bit.

[Julian Rossi]

The first few weeks of the term had gone rather smoothly, and more importantly, no more threatening messages had been delivered by owl post. Over the summer, Julian had consulted with ex-Auror and Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Ethan Forrester, who had the idea of using a Polyjuice Potion to track the sender. While Julian would consider this option only as a last resort, he nevertheless began preparations immediately; in addition to being very time-consuming to brew, the Polyjuice Potion also needed to stew for an additional month after the brewing was complete.

During the month of September, Julian had kept busy gathering and preparing the ingredients. The day after receiving the advice from Professor Forrester, he took a trip to the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley to get the lacewing flies that needed to stew for twenty-one days. He already had the leeches and knotgrass in his personal store, and he went into the greenhouses at the next full moon to pick the fluxweed.

One evening in late September, Julian dressed warmly in a travelling cloak and walked off school grounds and into Hogsmeade. The lacewing flies were ready, and it was nearly time for the second part of the recipe and he still needed some ingredients. He hadn't been able to find the Boomslang skin or the Horn of Bicorn in Diagon Alley, and there weren't any in the student cupboards, either. While the Potions Master would certainly have some, Julian did not want anyone at Hogwarts, other than Professor Forrester, to know that he was brewing a Polyjuice Potion.

After finding everything he was looking for at J. Pippin's Potions, Julian stepped into Dogweed and Deathcap, an exotic plants and flowers store to restock some other items in his personal store. He was window shopping at Ceridwen's and talking himself out of purchasing a self-stirring cauldron when a cold breeze had him pulling his cloak tighter and shivering. It was still early in the evening, so Julian headed to the Three Broomsticks, where he would warm up before making the walk back to the castle.

The Three Broomsticks was crowded, and unable to find a table that wasn't already occupied, Julian warmed his hands by the fireplace while he waited. When a table near the entrance became available, Julian sat down and dropped the bag with his purchases on the tabletop and settled in. A few minutes later, the Innkeeper came over to take his order. "Coffee?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

"This time of day?" the Innkeeper said doubtfully. "Hmm, I s'pose I could put a pot on.…"

"That would be great, thank you, and a small Gillywater as well, please."

Sufficiently warmed, he took his cloak off and draped it across the back of his chair. At the sound of the tinkling of bells as the door to the Three Broomsticks opened, Julian looked up. To his surprise, Matt Breaker, the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher entered the pub. It had been a few weeks since his interview, and he would be beginning at Hogwarts any day now. Julian waved and greeted his newest hire. "Good evening Mr. – " Julian corrected himself, "Professor Breaker. It's good to see you again." Julian gestured for Professor Breaker to join him at his table. "I'm afraid it's rather crowded in here tonight. I've only just got this table myself."

[Matt Breaker]

Matt wasn’t expecting to meet a familiar face as he entered the crowded pub but he was pleasantly surprised none the less. He made his way over to Headmaster Julian as the man waved him over to where he was already seated.

“Hello Headmaster Julian, it’s a pleasure to see you again. Thank you for the offer…” He stated as he sat down and put his messenger bag next to him. The bag was placed in such a way so that he could see it out of the corner of his eye without turning his head. After all, it was that bag that magically connected to his beast enclosures and it was always his top responsibility to ensure its safety. Matt placed his cloak on the back of the chair and sat down; allowing the warmth of the pub to seep into his cold limbs.

“I didn’t expect to see anyone familiar here tonight.” He started a casual conversation as he awaited the innkeeper to come by. Matt took a second to glance around the pub. Having never been here before and unfamiliar with the layout; he allowed himself to take note of anything of significance within the place’s walls. Usually if he had had his way, he would have asked for seat towards the back with him facing the door as that was he was most comfortable with. Of course, the place was exceptionally busy and he had not procured the table himself; so he had to deal with the undesirable location instead.

When the innkeeper arrived to the table for Matt’s order; he noticed the cup of coffee in his hands.

“A cup of coffee with two sugars would be amazing…thank you.” He said as the looked over. The innkeeper nodded and went to get his order.

“Is this place always this busy?” He asked as he awaiting the steaming caffeinated drink to arrive at the table.

[Julian Rossi]

Deciding not to wait four years to get on a first-name basis with his colleague as he had regrettably done with Nigel, Julian said, "Oh, it's just Julian," when he was addressed with his title attached to his name. He smiled pleasantly and continued: "Now that you're teaching Hogwarts, there will almost always be a familiar face at this pub. With it being so close to the castle, it's very popular amongst staff. And students," he added, "on certain weekends." Julian tried to avoid Hogsmeade on those weekends; the students deserved a bit of freedom without feeling as though the Headteacher was keeping tabs on them (there were, of course, other teachers and Aurors to do that.)

By the way Professor Breaker was surveying his surroundings, Julian could tell that it must be the new teacher's first time at the Three Broomsticks. Not wanting to distract him with further conversation, Julian waited until Professor Breaker asked if the pub was always this busy before speaking again. "Oh, yes," he answered. "Hogsmeade is the only all-wizarding village in Britain," he explained, careful to keep his tone casual, lest it sounded as though he was trying to teach a history lesson. "So, witches and wizards from all over the country come here. The Hog's Head Inn is less busy – which can be preferable - but…" Julian paused, not wanting to disparage one business over another, then shrugged and proceeded with his warning. "It's not as… reputable… as the Three Broomsticks."

Julian smiled as the Innkeeper returned with the second coffee, glad that he had asked for the pot to be brewed; Professor Breaker did not have to wait long at all to be able to warm himself with the hot beverage. "Have you sorted out your new lodgings?" he asked conversationally as they drank their coffees. If Julian recalled correctly, Professor Breaker had just moved to the United Kingdom when he had interviewed for the Care of Magical Creatures position. "Of course, you will always have private chambers available to you at Hogwarts… but some staff like to have somewhere off campus to call home. Many here in Hogsmeade, in fact."

[Matt Breaker]

Matt smiled a bit when Julian corrected him for the use of his title. Matt wasn’t usually so formal; so he was actually relieved he could address the Headmaster by his name and not rank. If he had had to he would have but the casual way was more comfortable for him.

Since the man has never been to Hogsmeade before this point; he was actually grateful for the information. Since arriving in Europe; he had not had all that much time to explore the actual villages and towns. Of course he had been to the main cities but nothing in smaller areas.

“That makes sense with its proximity to Hogwarts.” He commented with an understanding nod just as his coffee was delivered to the table by the innkeeper. Nodding his thanks he grabbed the mug and took an appreciative sip of the warm liquid on the inside. The caffeine was a welcomed relief after the train ride to get here. He could have apparated here but the train had allowed him the views of the countryside as he had approached the castle.

“I plan on taking up quarters in the castle for the semester. I have lived most of my life as a sort of nomad so I don’t have an official living space outside of my creature’s enclosures…which I have access to anytime I wish anyway.” He stated simply as he glanced at his messenger bag. Like most keepers of Magical Creatures; he had an elaborate set of enclosures for each beast he kept based on their own personal needs. Of course no one besides him had access to them unless they were to obtain his own bag; which is why he was so protective of it. He usually just camped in the wilderness and lived within the bag on a regular if he wasn’t renting a room from somewhere. Call him a nomad but that was the life he had lived up until this point and he had been content with it.

It was only now, when he was thinking about settling down for once, that he decided that the nomad life might have to finally be put away.

“Besides; living at Hogwarts will allow me to look after the creatures that the school keeps without having to travel far.” He shrugged with another smile. Of course the beasts now under his care, as well as his upcoming students, were his top priority as a teacher.

“What about you? Do you keep a home outside of campus?” He asked as he tried to keep the conversation going.

[Julian Rossi]

Julian listened with interest as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor spoke of his nomadic past, and when Professor Breaker explained that he always had access to his creature's enclosures, Julian also glanced at the messenger bag with dawning comprehension. He had heard of a famous Magizoologist with an enchanted bag and – if he was correct in his assumption – Professor Breaker appeared to have one as well.

It must have taken an extraordinary amount of complicated magic to enchant the messenger bag, and though Julian was immensely impressed, he chose not to comment until invited by Professor Breaker to do so. "Well, in that case, you are very welcome to come and stay at Hogwarts ahead of schedule," he said. "We still have a substitute to teach your class, but you may find your private quarters more comfortable… and secure," he added, thinking how it must be difficult to keep the bag safe when camping in the wilderness.

"I do, yes," Julian answered pleasantly when Professor Breaker asked if he kept a home outside of Hogwarts. He did not fault Professor Breaker – who had politely returned the question back to Julian – but it was not a topic he cared to discuss. After his divorce, Julian had not returned to the house he had lived in with his wife and children, though as to whether or not his ex-wife and daughter still lived there, Julian did not know. For himself, he had purchased a small townhouse in London, but he rarely ever went home, not even during school holidays. He found it too empty, too quiet, and too much of a reminder of all he had lost.

"I do not spend much time there," he said finally, and though he continued to smile politely, his tone suggested that he would like to change the subject. "So, I'd love to hear more about your creatures. The last time we spoke, you mentioned having a Hippogriff?" he asked, setting his coffee down and folding his hands on the table as he waited for Professor Breaker to speak.