He nods, and says on an ending-sigh, "I feel the same responsibility, but I never was any good at interacting with my peers. Of course, none of them ever felt that I was their peer, which may have had a good deal to do with it." This isn't a bitter statement; he's over that by now, although knowing damned well that it contributed to the Lucius fiasco makes it smart.. But it is, in a way, a new inconvenience again. He hasn't really had to deal with his peers, except in an observational capacity, for years (his colleagues all either having taught him or, in the case of the occasional DADA teacher, having known him as an unofficial prefect who couldn't take points but didn't have to).
He makes a wry face. "Ah. Yes. I should agree with you, but it seems to be a difficult habit to break. I'm fully aware I didn't get the entirety of the at-risk children by any means, but it did often seem to me that, if you'll forgive the phrasing, the lion's share wore green." He grimaces, sidetracked. "Idiot Hat. Pushover. At least half of them should have gone to Hufflepuff to learn how to trust, whatever they thought."
Good! I hope the smoke isn't too bad. :\ Ah, Xel's glad he's not going to hate Xel more for this (obviously he wouldn't be able to resent Gaav). And he says no one doubted for a minute that Val would if asked; it's only one of Gaav's good points not to ask it of him when he basically wouldn't survive. Yes, he's very IC! He and Xel don't understand each other at all; it's fantastic. XD Sev keeps wanting to go epic-fail to kill him for being War, but I've been able to hold him off so far. n,n;;;