{ Up For Debate } | open
The professor had sat himself down, and had stayed there for so much longer than he wanted to. The nurse was busy with the cold going around. He had never been good at potions, and he knew that this was probably going to have to be done by someone with much more practiced hands than his. It would be his luck to make something, and he would definitely turn himself wonky in one way or another. Slowly, Aston started to sink down into his chair, his fingers rubbing at his temples. At that point, he didnât much care about the way he might have looked to other students.
He was about to get up and shut the door because of that thought. Part of him wanted to just curl up and wither away, but he had one last class he had to get up and teach after the lunch hour, and it wasnât in him to just roll over like that. He would take his draft, and he would be on his feet again in no time. Hopefully, though, he wouldnât be back in this office again. He peeked out of the door and chuckled quietly to himself to see the nurse running around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to get Pepperup potions around to all of the students. It hadnât been the same without Madame Pompfrey around, tutting and fussing over everyone at once. It was all coughs and sniffles outside of the office, but Aston didnât think it would come into his little bubble there. He was fidgeting in his seat like a little child when the soft footfalls approached him; it almost startled him when the feet came into his view. His eyes naturally followed up toward the face of the student, catching the blue lining his cloak -the emblem of the raven on the left side of the chest. The student looked utterly pathetic with his red eyes, running nose, and flushed cheeks. A small smile cracked over Astonâs lips as he leaned himself back, hands folded against his lower stomach. âOh, helloâ âŚ.Iâm sorry, I donât believe that I caught your name.â The professor peeked around the other, staring at the nurse as she kept flitting from student to student to make sure they stayed okay, that the potion was working. âIt seems sheâs tied up at the moment, butâŚâ Aston winced as he sat up, so he took a moment before slowly letting his voice ebb out once more, âIâŚthink she has some back here.â He stood very, very slowly before making his way toward the small cauldron at the back of the office. âI honestly know nothing about potions, butâŚtake some, yeah.â He paused to rub his nose a little bit before chuckling, âDonât get me sick, either.â
Through his watering eyes, he thought he'd seen the professor given a hint of a smile after he'd looked Nathan up and down. Did that mean the man thought his appearance was amusing? Or maybe he just enjoyed the suffering of others? At once he felt alienated and even more self-conscious about his current state. Coming straight from his previous class meant Nathan hadn't yet had the opportunity to consult his face in a mirror. It wasn't out of vanity, but he really didn't want to be looking unwell. It would give other people the impression that he wasn't coping well with the pressures of being in his final year and that he was weak. A pale face with puffy eyes didn't exactly stir confidence in people. He turned his stiff neck to survey the room again, all the nurses seemed preoccupied. It seemed he'd have to talk to Professor Fairfax even if the man was making him feel uneasy. He suspected the man meant well; he had that air of sophistication that was reassuring for Nathan.
"Oh my name's Nathan, sir." He forgot that there were teachers that would have no idea who he was due to the fact the'd never taught him. Still, this was one of the first occasions this year in which he'd had to introduce himself. It might have been considered rude for Nathan to ask Aston what he was in the hospital wing for but he was curious and even more so when the man appeared to struggle with standing up. He shuffled a little closer, thinking he ought to have offered to help.Â
"I am glad I asked you." He said with every attempt to sound chirpy through his blocked nose as wanted to come across as friendly in response to Fairfax's unhesitating assistance. "Luckily, I know a thing or two about potions. I think I've actually got an empty flask in my bag." He replied and started to dig around hid leather satchel, eventually pulling out an empty glass bottle with a screw on top. "I'm going to need lots of this stuff if I'm going to fight away this cold." Nathan spoke as if getting rid of a runny nose where some remarkable feat. In a way it was for him.
"Don't worry, Sir, I'll not come too close. You don't want another reason to be hanging around here. It's not the finest place in the castle to spend your time." Nathan said with a smile, seeing if the man would be willing to partake in a little small talk.



















