Learning My Way

Sophie had been settling in fairly well, and had been getting used to her nanny enough that Avery could finally be out and about without worrying as much. That meant it was about time she started really learning her way around the school besides just moving from her quarters to the Great Hall or her classroom and back. It was quite lucky that her office was attached to her classroom, because if it hadn't been, she certainly wouldn't have known where that was, either.

The moving staircase thing was quite a daunting enigma. She didn't know how the students got so good at moving up and down like it was second nature. That was baffling, and she couldn't imagine herself being able to pick it up so quickly. She decided that she'd just have to be sure to leave herself a reasonable amount of time to traverse the strange stairs, in hopes that she wouldn't be late for class.

She stood in front of the doors to the great hall, looking over a map of the grounds that she'd received from the Headmaster, trying to determine which direction she would explore first.

Teddy was excited to meet all of the new staff. It was one of those little things he had taken on, making them feel welcome. It gave him a sense of joy and reinforced his belief that Hogwarts should be a home away from home. And what was home without a sense of family? No matter how awkward or strained that family was.

He had introduced himself to everyone but the Charms professor. At first he thought she might have just been shy, or uninterested in jumping into the culture of the school. But the revelation about her daughter cleared that right up. He didn't think he could commit to having a cat while at the school, he couldn't imagine being a parent. Not that her daughter was to be compared to a cat of course - best leave that little comparison to himself. Oh Merlin, he hoped he didn't say that in front of her.

He imagined the blonde figure had to be Professor Bishop. She certainly wasn't a student but he didn't otherwise recognize her. He veered towards her, reminding himself that having a child was not like having a cat, and cleared his throat as he approached. "Professor Bishop?"

Avery glanced up the staircase as she tilted the map a little, her brow furrowing more with curiosity than frustration. It wasn't like she didn't have plenty of time to learn the ways and halls of the castle, but it did seem like something a professor ought to know. It wasn't her fault, though. Before taking the job, she'd never been on the grounds before.

Muttering to herself in Bulgarian about the castle having far too many floors and staircases for her liking, she nearly took a step towards one. But then she heard someone address her. So she stopped, turning over her shoulder to face them.

It was a fellow professor, it seemed, given he looked somewhere around her age. There was a sort of charming air about him, though she wasn't sure if it was her appreciation for being approached, or just the sort of person that he was. Unintentionally, she kept a neutral, curious expression rather than offering the polite smile that she meant to, as she replied with a simple, "Yes?"

She turned, revealing nothing but mild confusion. His practice of positive self talk kicked in. Good thing I’m here to help with that.

His face split into a welcoming expression, eyes crinkling into a signature Teddy smile. “Hi, I’m Teddy. Professor Lupin,” he clarified, clearing his throat and speaking deeply before he smiled again, breaking the ruse, as he reached out a hand to shake hers. “But Teddy. I, uh, teach Transfiguration. I was actually hoping to catch you! I figured you might need some help getting acquainted to the castle. It’s daunting even for though of us who grew up in it.”

Avery felt herself instinctively offer a simple little smile in return as her hand clasped his. "Avery Bishop," she returned, noting that he seemed to know who she was instinctively - perhaps she was the newest of the professors and didn't know it. It was almost a relief to just confirm who she was rather than have to explain it. Merlin forbid he ask why she'd taken the job, of course.

It took her a moment to remember, as she drew her hand back, that the other still held the map of the castle. She lifted it, her cheeks turning a little pink with the admission, "I'd planned on using this, but honestly it's a bit more confusing than I expected. It was nice for Headmaster Ogden to provide it, though."

She shrugged slightly, nearly put it away, but then decided against it. After all, the castle was indeed quite a lot to cover, and he'd only happened upon her. She didn't dare assume he'd bother walking her through the whole of the place. Not in one go, anyway. "I guess I'm not quite sure where to start."

He pointed at the map, "Yeah that's nice and all, but not until you've actually gotten a lay of the land. Especially since the staircases don't like to stay put."

He couldn't imagine how confusing it was to start at a school with no context or baseline. Three years ago, the idea of coming back seemed overwhelming, and he knew the school better than most - being Head Boy got you quickly acquainted with every part of the castle, chasing down trouble and, more often than not, lost first years. That was kind of his job now, come to think of it, just with more talk of Transfiguration.

"Have you seen your classroom? Or the staff lounge? Those are great places to begin."

"Yes, I noticed that," she agreed. "I don't think I'm a fan of it, though." Indeed, her nose crinkled a little in distaste. But she did take that to mean that the map wouldn't be useful for his apparent desire to show her around castle. It was awfully kind of him, to take that time when the Headmaster himself had been too busy preparing for the start of term.

Avery folded up the map and tucked it into a pocket, so she could perhaps go over it later once she had more insight on the place as a whole. "Well, my classroom, yes. But not the staff lounge." She looked down, a bit of color actually rising in her cheeks. "It might sound a bit odd, but I guess I somehow had hoped I could just put it off much longer than is really reasonable."

Considering Sophie, if he knew about her, could he really blame Avery, though? She had so much else to consider besides potentially getting lost in what was, essentially, her new home. It just seemed like a completely unnecessary task when really it was almost certainly a requirement for living in a place like this. She couldn't imagine trying to do it as a first year, yet here she was, acting like even more of a child.

He laughed a little, saying, "They feel impossible at first, but they actually become quite fun. And one of the best ways to get to know a place is to get lost in it. Those will definitely help, in that regard. It's the thing they do best." Seriously, the first two months of every school year wasn't for teaching, but for rescuing lost first years and transfer students. Meanwhile, some of the more clever Ravenclaws could time walking across the staircases so that by the time it shifted, they were in the direction they had intended on.

He felt his eyebrows quirk together and corner of his mouth lift a bit in confusion, or was it surprise, at her admission. An odd little confession that he couldn't really make heads or tails of - and he wasn't used to that. Teddy wasn't the best at Transfiguration, could be rubbish at grading, would hardly win a brother of the year award. But he could read people. Or so he had been told. He wasn't often blocked out.

But she seemed embarrassed about it, so he quickly wiped away the look with one of reassurance. "Of course you did. We're mad, coming back to school as adults. What sort of masochists do that?" He grinned widely, shaking his head as he continued, "No. Putting it off just shows you're thinking it through."

Probably not the best message though. "I'm mostly teasing. We might be insane, but it's a good madness, and a really good job once you struggle passed the confusing hallways and hormones. I actually have some time, I can definitely show you to the staff lounge, and, if you have time, give you a tour."

He laughed, which was probably a good sign that she hadn't somehow insulted the school he loved and had grown up in, or some other cliché about it. She deduced as much from the fact that the laugh sounded genuine, and a little kind. It was a nice change of pace. "I suppose," she agreed. "I'll have to find the time for that, then."

Avery missed the look he wore first, instead looking up again when he spoke to discover that he evidently felt that they were somehow close enough already to tease her. She rather liked that idea, as she didn't really have any friends unless her nanny counted. Not on the grounds, anyway. It was a relief to think that she might have stumbled upon someone. Or, perhaps, had someone stumble upon her.

"A whole tour?" She heard herself say in surprise. That was really kind of him, and it struck her that she needed to sound less shocked and more appreciative. "I mean, if you really think it won't take too long," Avery said by way of agreement.

She seemed surprised at his willingness to help, but Teddy was definitely familiar with that. He had a giving spirit, a willingness to help even at his own expense, and people weren't used to it. Most people were so obviously after something, looking for something in return, that most people felt a natural reluctance at accepting help that went beyond niceties. The thought was something along the lines of what do they want, how will I make this up? But that was the thing about the only son of Remus and Nymphadora. He thought all help was just being nice.

"I mean, it'll probably take awhile," he said with a laugh. But he heaved a shrug and followed up, "But I don't have anything to do for the next hour or two. We don't have to peek out head in every door, I can just show you some of the shortcuts you'll want to know, the best staff toilets, where to get a snack if you miss dinner, which halls the poltergeist Peeves likes you to haunt - someone did tell you we have a poltergeist, right? He's nothing to worry about, he's the furthest thing from serious but he can trip you up. And he'll do it literally, too."

He was probably overwhelming her. "Sorry, one step at a time. We'll head up towards the staff lounge, yeah?"