Detention, Miss Knightly

[Professor Vehrs]

Melanie sat in her office, leaning over several essays turned in earlier that day on the subject of Vampires. She was keen to get a head start on them so work wouldn't begin to pile up, so she was using every grain of sand left in her hourglass to do so. Her eagle feather quill continued to find it's way repeatedly to a well of scarlett ink next to her, and corrections were made as she continued to wait.

She should be here by now... she thought, glancing at the large timekeeper on her stool, gold and glass filled with deep brown grains of sand which trickled continuously through the tiny opening. Bewitched to turn itself over when the sand ran out, it was the only way of telling time in her office.

Alexia Knightly was due for her detention this evening, and she was dangerously close to starting off on the wrong foot for her lack of promptness. Melanie had read the file earlier today on Alexia's actions causing disorder in Professor Thorne's classroom, and against one of her house students at that. Needless to say Melanie was not in the best of moods to begin with.

((Cue Alexia))

[Alexia Knightley]

Alexia rushed through the corridor to Professor Vehrs' office, not wanting to be too late, but still be a bit late.

She skidded to a halt at the door, and knocked.

[Professor Vehrs]

"Enter."

Her voice was crisp and firm, that type of no-nonsense she was so well known for. Alexia's arrival was - she checked her hourglass with utmost scrutiny - two minutes and fifty-four seconds late.

Tisk Tisk....

She folded her arms and kept an eye on the door, awaiting its opening, and also the girl she knew would appear from behind it.

[Alexia Knightley]

Alexia sighed and rolled her eyes, turning the handle and entering Professor Vehrs' office.

"Evening, Professor," she said, with a barely audible hint of boredom in her voice.

"You sent me this ah," she held up a piece of parchment, "Summons, as it were?"

[Professor Vehrs]

"Indeed," Melanie said, her tone short and to the point as she was well known for being. Her eyes rested on the delinquent student in need of discipline and decided even the most severe offences should be treated with at least minor hospitality.

"Please take a seat," she said curtly, motioning to a chair on the opposite side of her desk. Though phrased as one, this was not a request.

[Alexia Knightley]

"Very well," said Alexia, obliging to the professor's disguised command.

She thought this all a bit overdramatic. Really, a single cup of tea and everyone's acting like she threatened the Queen.

[Professor Vehrs]

Once the girl had settled herself Melanie crossed her arms, leaning her elbows against the smooth and organized surface of her large desk. Her eyes rested on Alexia with little or no chance of moving away as she began the detention the way she typically did.

"I have," she said in an unreadable tone, "read the file on why you have received your summons tonight, but I usually prefer to hear both sides of a story before delivering any form of justice. Would you like to enlighten me to what you believe happened, Miss Knightley?"

[Alexia Knightley]

Alexia leaned back in her chair.

"'S quite simple, really," she said easily. "A simple, harmless prank to quite possibly lighten the mood in a rather dull lesson, was thrown completely out of proportion by a blo-, sorry, respectable professor, who seems to favour either his own house above others, or have a distaste for Slytherins."

Alexia mentally laughed at herself for almost calling Professor Thorne a 'bloody fool'. She stared back at Professor Vehrs, not showing a sign of defeat or weakness.

"But we all know how this has ended, in Professor Thorne's favour, because if it was otherwise, I would not be here."

[Professor Vehrs]

Melanie listened with the proper amount of due respect from teacher to student, unblinkingly watching the student as she gave a somewhat vague description of the scenario which she had read about earlier. This situation, however, tended to make it seem as though Alexia hadn't done much of anything wrong, that it was all in fun.

"A harmless prank..." Professor Vehrs said, raising an eyebrow in skepticism, "that is how you referred to it, is it not, Miss Knightley? I would like to think harmless pranks do not leave fellow students dripping in hot beverages. Would I be right to assume, in addition, that you would not liked to have found yourself at the receiving end of this 'harmless prank'?"

[Alexia Knightley]

"The tea wasn't that hot, Professor," said Alexia. "And I do call it harmless, as no one was harmed. I don't know how I would like it if I were on the recieving end, as it did not happen. But I suppose it all depends on the temperature of the room versus the temperature of the tea."

"And whether it was Earl Grey and I had any lemons with me," she added as an afterthought, her face not showing much of anything, giving the impression that she was being serious.

[Professor Vehrs]

"Well as much as I appreciate your input," Professor Vehrs said, her eyes opening wider at the thought of sarcasm in her office. She would not tolerate it in her classroom or her presence at all for that matter, and Alexia was pushing it, "the way the matter shall be seen is up to me. And I, as well as other members of the staff, feel your actions were out of line."

[Alexia Knightley]

"Other members of the staff? I was under the impression that only one member felt that, as you put it, my 'actions were out of line'," said Alexia, raising an eyebrow.

"Unless, of course, there are professors who only you are in contact with. I'm sure Professor Leonor would be of an opinion, but I'm sure you have already heard it, as you did notify her that one of her House was sentenced to a detention for an apparent wrong-doing?"

"Anyways, what is it that my detention shall consist of, Professor? Surely it isn't all just sitting around here chatting with you as pleasant as it is," she said in a cheerful tone that was certainly quite false.