Main Library

Viper rolled her eyes at the broken shelf and waved her wand, repairing the shelf and placing all the books on the shelf.

"Bloody budget cuts..." she muttered to herself as she headed towards the exit.

However, right as she turned to walk away, she ran straight into another witch. One she had yet to meet.

Calista stumbled backwards a pace.
"Sorry, I heard the ...tidal wave of books. Are you alright?"

"Oh, excuse me, I am so sorry. Yes, I am quite alright, thank you." Viper nodded. "Are you?"

Calista focused on getting her surname right. "I'm Calista Palmer. Ancient Runes."

Viper smiled in response. "Amaranth Viper, Potions." For some reason to Viper, the woman looked strangely familiar, although Viper couldn't remember where she may have seen her...

"Ah yes, I think Kiara mentioned you. I'm new to Hogwarts...and teaching in general." She smiled slightly.

Viper nodded in comprehension, a small smile in her face. "Hope you have alot of patience. Or a goblet. Both are most useful."

"Unfortunantly, I have very little of either...And even less patience for students who don't want to learn." Calista replied. "But I haven't been assualted with practical jokes yet, thank merlin."

Viper laughed. "Neither have I. But then again I did warn them that if they ever pulled a practical joke on me I'd pull a meaner one on them. They believed me right me right away and I've been pranked-free since."

"Your students learn quickly." Calista laughed.

"Well when there's only about a dozen of them, one would hope the students would learn quickly otherwise there really won't be much to do."

Calista was surprised. "So few are taking potions? I'd have thought there would be far more than twelve."

Viper shook her head, amused. "No, its not that few of students who want to take potions. That's the amount able to take potions." she laughed.

"You turned students away?" Calista laughed. "How did you separate the ones who could from the ones who couldn't?"

"Simple. They had to solve a relatively easy potions riddle to be admitted to the class. Some failed, few succeeded, many got their dear mummys and daddys to send me howlers claiming that I am depriving them of their educational rights."

Calista laughed. "I think I know some mummys and daddys who would do that."

"And grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, great-grandfathers...well, you get the idea." Viper smiled.

"Indeed." Calista grinned. "I'm surprised no-one's whinged to the ministry...or have they?"

Viper rolled her eyes. "They probably tried but I wrote some contracts and insurance policies early on so there isn't anything they can do against me. Other then burn my desk with their insistent howlers, of course."

"It's always best to plan ahead." Calista agreed.
"Fortunantly few students are taking Ancient Runes, less to put up with. Apparently, my lessons go on a bit too long for some students." She rolled her eyes.

"Have you been here for long?" Viper inquired.

Calista shook her head. "No, only a few days. Taught one class so far."
She rolled her eyes. "And already I've had a student complaining that time was going too slowly."

Viper smirked. "Who was it?" It was rather refreshing to meet someone who enjoyed teaching as much as she did.

Calista rolled her eyes. "A Nicholas Casillas." That boy was seriously strange. One minute he complained, the next he was...strange.

((lol!))

Viper nodded in comprehension. not entirely suprised considering what she had heard of the student. "Did you attend Hogwarts when you were a student?" she inquired. Perhaps they had attended Hogwarts together. After all, Calista didn't appear that much older than Viper herself.