(1939-11-11) About Angelus
Details for About Angelus
Summary: Maddie and Elspeth take some concerns about Angelus Eibon to Professor Pettigrew.
Date: 11 November, 1939
Location: Transfiguration Professor's Office
Related:
Characters
EnidElspethMadeline

Professor Pettigrew's office is colourful, to say the least. Vibrant fabric dyed with extraordinary patterns drape her window and walls. A frightening mask, carved of wood and painted with bold reds and black, hangs above a pair of crossed spears. The skeletal remains of what might be some kind of ape are reconstructed to stand ominously near her desk, arms extended as if ready to wrestle.

With the arrival of her two guests, Enid arranges a pair of chairs and gestures invitingly. "Welcome, dears. The two of you each approached me about what sounded like the same matter, and in such a short span of time. I thought it would be prudent for us all to get together and chat about it. Tea? Coffee?"

"Tea please, Professor," Madeline answers as she slips into one of the chairs. "I'm not allowed to have coffee." Her gaze flicking about the room when she finishes talking. She's been in once before - when she confessed her secret to her new head of house - and once again her eyes lock onto the mask. She really wants to try it on. And possibly run around the castle halls wearing it.

Entering quietly, and looking around the office, Elspeth's head tilts slightly to look over the skeleton before she sits down. "Thank you, Professor. Tea is being preferred." For some reason, Madeleine's assertion that she's not allowed to have coffee brings a flicker of a smile across her features. It's quickly hidden as she shifts her gaze to the hangings, spears, and finally the mask. Having taken everthing in to her satisfaction, she turns to the new Transfiguration professor and the tea being prepared.

Enid chuckles, whirling toward a small stove where her tea and coffee are warmed. "Tea it is, then. I probably shouldn't have coffee, either. Sometimes it makes me jittery. But it certainly keeps one alert!" She pours two cups of tea, and one coffee for herself. She sets out the sugar, milk, and honey for the girls to handle themselves. "Now then," she says, lounging in her chair with one leg tucked up underneath her, "What is this about…Angelo Eibon?" She spares half a glance for the student record laying open on her desk.

"Mum's worried that if I have coffee again I might get another 'good idea,'" Madeline explains. "She was real cross with me when I ruined her dress and got the lamb's wool died pink by mistake." As the tea and fixings are offered, she spoons in an unhealthy amount of honey and cream and stirs them together, before taking a sip.

"Angelus Eibon, Professor," Madeline corrects. "He's… well. I think he's telling lies to try to get himself in trouble because he's guilty about all the stuff he did."

Since Maddie corrects the professor on the younger Eibon male name, Elspeth refrains, but she nods. "I am not being sure that Eibon is really knowing, or thinking through, what he is doing, Professor," she says quietly. "After all that has been happening, and because he has been alienating… well, everyone, to be honest, since the beginning of the school year, I think he is having problems trying to decide where he should be… setting his loyalties."

"Angelus?" Enid frowns and looks at the record again. "So it is! So many names to learn. Well then, Madeline Evans and Elspeth Rosen…" she pauses for confirmation that she got their names right, "…first let me say that I'm proud of you both for coming to me about your friend's troubles. But seeing as I'm the new girl, perhaps you could fill me in on some details. You say he has been alienating everyone? Does this have to do with his involvement in those Magijugend?"

"Yes ma'am," Madeline answers. "I mean, he was friends with the Magijugend before, and acting like a real- umm. Acting real mean to the folks in the house. Acting like he's better than the rest of us, and we should be bowing at his feet like - because he's an Eibon, and a Magijugend, and all that. And you can imagine how much everyone like that. But when when the Aurors and Hitwizards showed up, well, he told Rena - Auror Odori that is - where the box he hid was and it broke his wand so now the Magijugend aren't talking to him either and he keeps doing stuff that makes both sides of it angry, so he doesn't have many friends now at all." She looks towards Elspeth to see if she concurs, and can add anything else to her explination.

Elspeth nods once with a smile to confirm her name. Then she listens and nods slowly to what Madeline relates. "Before the magijugend were being given special priveleges, Angelus was being careful to not be showing any superiority. He was always working hard be to walking a fine line that was not openly offending either muggleborns or purebloods. But with the special preference that was being given to the Magijugend, he was deciding to choose a side, I am thinking. But when he was being faced with Auror- O-dori, he was alienating the Magijugend by being a traitor. Now, he has been going from everyone liking him, to no one liking him. It is seeming that the harder he is trying to be making people like him, the worse he is making it on himself."

Enid rises suddenly from her chair to walk around her desk, and she begins wandering the room as she talks, fiddling here and there with her various trophies and trinkets. "It sounds to me as if this young man is rather lost, and is searching for a path. Does that sound about right? He's fortunate to have friends that care about him enough to try to reach out to him. Do you know what I think? I think we should let him see for himself. Shall we summon him here?" Before waiting for an answer, she goes back to her desk, snatches up a piece of paper and quill and begins to write a note.

"Umm. If you like, Professor. Though I don't know that I'd say me and Eibon are friends… He's been pretty horrible." Madeline frowns down at her tea. "But that don't mean I shouldn't be trying to help him - is all. I mean, he is a housemate."

The tea Elspeth was sipping seems to go down the wrong way, and she suddenly coughs. "Oh, Professor. I am not thinking that Eibon is being my friend. He is being too purist to making friends with a muggleborn, and probably is wishing that his brother and I would never be speaking to each other again." She clears her throat, her eyes watering a little from the coughing. "I am being concerned as a prefect that he is being a student that is maybe needing some guidance before he is doing anything… drastic."

Enid pauses in her writing, looking up at the two girls. "I want the two of you to stop and think for a moment," she says with a smile. "Madeline, you are his housemate. You are strongly connected, and in spite of insisting he isn't your friend, here you are, showing rather a lot of concern for somebody that doesn't like him." Her eyes flicker to Elspeth, glinting brightly. "Elspeth, you are doing your duty as a Prefect, of course. But as a Prefect, you should understand better than most how everyone at this school is connected. We may be in four separate houses, but we are one school. It sounds to me as if Angelus is walking a narrow wire. If he tips too far one direction, he plunges in amongst those he has angered through his haughty behaviour. But if he leans too far the other way, he toppled in amongst those he has betrayed. He thinks he is out of options, so he leans this way and that, trying to stay balanced." She props herself on the side of her desk, leaning on one hand. "But what if there were someone at the end of that wire, beckoning him and showing him a path to safety? Don't you think there is a chance he might risk the journey?"

"Well he's angered me," Madeline responds, letting out a huff of air. "But my mum and Rena both want me to be nice so I have to." She shifts in her seat. "'n I think he's hurting, and I don't really like that. I already told him we should have peace and shook hands 'front of the whole common room." Why do people keep expecting more than that of her?

Watching the professor as she speaks, Elspeth blinks once at the end of the speech. "If we were talking about anyone besides Eibon, I might be saying, yes. But… as you are saying, Professor? You are being the new girl? Angelus Eibon has spent most of the last year loathing me… and the last few months he has been doing it openly… calling my parents 'slimy creatures' in the Leaky Cauldron. I am thinking that if I was being the one that is beckoning him to keep trying, he would be jumping off the tightrope and be taking his chances." A moment later, she realizes what she's said, and turns to Madeline. "Please do not be telling anyone I was saying that about what he called my parents. Even if he is breaking his promise to be keeping your secret."

Enid adopts a broad smile at Maddie. "That's wonderful, Madeline. I think you've probably already helped him more than you know." She sighs, frowning at the report of the things Angelus has said. But she takes a deep breath, continuing. "I cannot fault you for being hesitant. But I think you underestimate how powerful the gesture would be coming from the two of you. You said you were concerned that he might do something drastic. If we are to prevent that future, we must try to change Angelus's path. But only he can choose a new path. All we can do is show it to him." She moves to crouch before the two girls, so she is actually looking up at them with a warm, motherly smile. "Do you think you could find a place of forgiveness in your hearts, at least long enough to show him that there is a better way?"

"He said that 'bout your parents?" Madeline asks, gaping at Elspeth for a moment. "Then he'd say the same 'bout mine, given half a chance. But I won't repeat it, honest. He told me I was less than a witch," she informs the other girl. And even though she's tried her best to ignore the incident - saying the words stings.

As Enid crouches in front of her, Madeline looks down at the woman, nibbling at her lower lip uncertainly. "I, well, I can try, Professor. I have been trying. 'cuz staying mad is just gonna make things worse. But he's been really horrible." Freeing one hand from her cup of tea, she rubs the back of it over her eyes quickly.

"Professor Pettigrew, I think you are misunderstanding me," Elspeth says quietly. "It is not being because I have not forgiven him that I am thinking I am not being able to help. I have never been finding it useful to be holding any grudges. It is being because I am not believing he is ever going to be accepting help from me. He is already not being happy that he is having to give me credit for stepping in when another prefect was drawing a wand on him. He may be changing his mind about me being the lowest of the low, the vilest creature that he was telling Evelyn I was being… but he is being a long way from accepting help from me."

Enid pats Elspeth's knee, then stands and sits on her desk again. "I think I'm understanding you perfectly, dear. I am asking you to try one more time to show him a better path. Just knowing that you are here, helping him, not getting him into trouble, could be just what he needs to start moving toward compassion and acceptance. It won't happen instantly. That much I can just about guarantee. But it could plant the seed of confidence he needs to make himself into a better person."

Madeline lets out a sigh, and drinks from her tea cup again. Since Enid had been addressing Elspeth, and not her, she doesn't see a need to respond right now. It gets awful tiring and hard - so many people urging her to be even nicer to Angelus. Isn't she already doing her best?

If Enid is understanding Elspeth perfectly, the girl clearly isn't understanding the woman in return. Her brows are drawn together in confusion, and then she shrugs her shoulders. "If you are thinking it will be helping…" she offers dubiously as she finally takes a sip of her tea. She glances around the office once more. That mask really /is/ interesting.

"I think it is worth the effort to find out if it helps," Enid clarifies. She pulls both legs up onto her desk, so she's sitting cross-legged, looking down at the girls. She rests her chin on her hands, pinching her lips thoughtfully. At last she nods. "Alright, I won't push you. But keep in mind what I said. I'll speak with Angelus, but I would very much like to have one or both of you there when I do. If he is in pain, as Madeline believes, then it is so important that we give him a way to relieve that pain. Thank you, dearies. Now, off to your classes."

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License