InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You'll have to toss me!"

Niles "Vulture" Lexington (just_a_vulture) wrote in beyondthepages,
@ 2010-03-28 11:11:00

Entry tags:

!complete, 2023 08, callum quoft, niles lexington

RP: Patrolling
Characters: Vulture, Quoft
Time/Date: late morning/early afternoon, August 28
Location: Hogwarts, various locations
Warnings/Rating: PG maybe for language
Summary: Vulture is patrolling the castle
Status: Complete

Vulture was kind of bored, honestly. He didn't even have a partner to chat up since they'd opted to split up and patrol the various halls on their own. They reasoned it was just as safe that way; they were trained and were counting on any returned people to be disoriented.

"I am patrolling the halls of Hogwarts," Vulture said to himself as he strolled along. "It is the most exciting thing I have done since I have come back," he added as he lifted aside a tapestry to peer into the alcove behind it.

It was empty, like every other hidden alcove he'd peeked at. The ones he knew about, anyway. He'd made ample use of them when he'd been a student, all those years ago, and he grinned slightly at the memories.

"This is so enthralling," he added as he strolled back toward the entrance hall. He thought he might hang around the Great Hall for a bit; that was where they were most likely to come back, right? Hadn't most people died there?

His luck though, if anyone came back today, it'd be someone who had died somewhere else and was going to slip right out past him.

Which meant he'd hang by the door of the Great Hall, so he could see the entrance hall, too. Might not be a big help if they found another exit, but... well. The castle was huge, and there were only two of them prowling today.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-29 02:49 am UTC (link)

Quoft was enjoying the time without students. It was usually his vacation of sorts. He could clean things in the castle and, in general, they stayed clean. With the exception of what Peeves chose to make a mess of.

At the moment, Quoft had chosen the entrance hall to be in need of his attention. He'd magicked up a couple of rags and was guiding them about the ceiling, clearing cobwebs out of the corners. It was soothing to destroy all signs of dust and disorder from the ceiling before the new first years arrived. He'd be moving on to the Great Hall next. That ceiling always needed to be perfectly clean.

While he worked, Quoft was attempting to keep his mind from wondering to thoughts of his wife. After the school had been put on alert to keep watch for returnees and the Prophet had run its article, it had take every ounce of self control he had not to lurk around the spot she died, waiting for a sign that she'd come back to life.

The entire idea just made him bitter. He'd lived with his scars too long to begin hoping now.

The sound of Vulture apparently talking to himself was a welcome relief.

But by no means a relief that would earn anything less that a snarky greeting.

"Is there an invisible friend I should be made aware of, or are you talking to me?"

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-29 03:26 am UTC (link)

"Invisible friend," he agreed before he shrugged and grinned over to the caretaker. "Talkin' to myself, actually. Bit more interestin' than listenin' to the nothin' that's the castle without students," he said with another shrug.

Honestly, he wasn't looking forward to patrols when there were kids. Kids got in the way, and if he needed to get Unforgiveable on someone, he didn't want any small fries to get caught in the crossfire.

"Though now that you're here, I wouldn't mind pesterin' you with conversation," he added as he repressed a grin. It was always fun to rile up the snarky sorts, and he had a feeling this man was one of the above.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-29 04:58 am UTC (link)

Quoft magicked the rags down into his waiting hand before a glint of light off the cobwebs in one of the darker corners caught his eyes and he sent them off again, cleaning the place of the pesky buggers while he regarded the other wizard.

He wasn't entirely sure he was keen to have a conversation with the man, but he was willing to give it a try. For the moment. Truth be told, he wasn't keen that the Aurors were here. Quoft fully approved of extra precautions, but he didn't like that they needed them.

"Talk is fine. For a moment. Pestering..." Quoft adopted a thin smile. "I'll do without. If I need pestering, I'll go see to Peeves."

And curse the poltergeist with every Bulgarian swear he knew. It was only a few days ago that Peeves had gotten into the kitchens and made a sport of tossing food onto the moving staircases.

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-29 05:06 am UTC (link)

"Figured Peeves was more for harassin' than pesterin'," he offered with a grin. "Guess it depends on your definition," he mused aloud before he shifted his weight slightly and glanced toward the hourglass marking the time. He still had ... entirely too long to go.

Vulture tipped his head back against the wall and half-closed his eyes. He was still alert, of course, ready to leap to action if need be.

"Don't think I caught your name," he said as he opened one eye all the way. "An' the roster they gave us of staff didn't have pictures to go along with it." Though he supposed ... cleaning the castle meant caretaker.

Didn't do anyone any good to assume though.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-29 06:25 am UTC (link)

"Callum Quoft," he replied, quirking an eyebrow at Vulture's shared information. It seemed sloppy of someone to have not shared pictures of the staff with those on patrol.

What if someone came back? What if they were clever enough to lie their way out from under the eyes of the Aurors and disappear from view, free to do whatever they wished to the more peaceful wizarding world.

Quoft's expression grew grim with the dark trail that thought led him down. He didn't want any of the younger generation to share the fate of his wife and the others.

"You should learn the staff." Quoft shook his head. "What was your name?"

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-29 06:38 am UTC (link)

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Quoft. You c'n call me Vulture," he offered. He wasn't exactly inclined to drop his given name. No one called him that. Not even his mother, anymore. It was his name, better or worse. "They had me off in the States," he volunteered because chatting up the caretaker was more interesting than standing and watching him clean.

"I will learn the staff. Already got some plans to learn about the healer," he added with a highly unprofessional leer. Which ... wasn't at all true. She was lovely, and young, but she had a bit of a 'too innocent' vibe about her that he wasn't comfortable with fooling around with. She'd be the sort more suited to settle down with someone sweet and stable.

The Muggle studies witch on the other hand ... rawr.

"'magine they're putting together something more substantial for us to study, but you know how these quick fixes are," he added with a grin. He glanced into the Great Hall before glancing to the entrance hall, but all was clear.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-29 07:25 pm UTC (link)

Interesting. It was like dealing with some of the more crass students. Quoft very nearly rolled his eyes at the thought, but restrained himself. He would at least try to maintain a level of professionalism with the man.

He's mentioned the States... that made him American, Quoft guessed. It was no wonder he seemed rude.

"Vulture?" he asked, choosing to ignore the remark about their healer... for now. "That bird is common in the Americas, isn't it? Bulgaria has been working to restore our vultures."

It had been an interesting article in the paper years ago. He hadn't bothered to check up on it in recent years, but he still had the article in his office. Restoration was an intriguing subject.

Quoft quirked an eyebrow. "A nickname, I take it? ...interesting choice."

He wasn't certain why anyone would associate themselves with the thought of carrion, but he didn't understand a lot of things about Americans.

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-29 08:00 pm UTC (link)

He shrugged slightly. "Dunno about that. Wasn't doin' much wildlife research while I was over that way."

Vulture had to grin when Quoft asked if it was a nickname. "Saves me from havin' to answer when I tell people I'm an animagus. They put two an' two together an' get me." Which was honestly more or less how the name had come about. He'd been a Vulture nearly as long as he'd been able to turn into one.

Vulture yawned before he glanced up to Quoft. He was sort of a fun bloke to poke at, and it definitely made watching the entrance hall more interesting.

"Missed a spot," he offered helpfully with a gesture to the ceiling, where he may or may not have missed a spot.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-29 11:46 pm UTC (link)

Quoft was mildly surprised that Vulture was an animagus. It made the man seem a little more competent, even if it didn't make him easier to share a certain amount of space with. He felt he could deal with Vulture until his cleaning was finished, however. It wouldn't take much longer.

"Mm," Quoft answered, gaze not even flickering from the spot where he was supervising the rags. He'd put up with none of that. The cheeky attitude was going to grate against his nerves sooner rather than later.

"That's difficult magic," Quoft allowed with a drawl that almost hinted at disbelief as he moved back to a tolerable track of conversation. "Were you schooled in the Americas?"

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-30 12:49 am UTC (link)

"Schooled right here. We moved t'England when I was ten, got my letter on time and was shuffled off to Hogwarts to learn how to work some magic." He grinned and shifted his weight. Pacing between the entrance hall and the Great Hall, he nodded slightly before he glanced up at the ceiling.

"It isn't ... that difficult," he amended. "I mean, dangerous as anythin' if you haven't got a proper mentor. Heard of a bloke once who got stuck halfway between forms for a few hours 'til someone checked in on him." He grinned. "Wasn't me, 'case your thoughts were headed that way."

He chuckled as he retreated back to the door, leaning against it once more.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-30 04:36 am UTC (link)

Quoft flicked his wand toward the Great Hall, moving the cleaning regime toward the more daunting task. He watched for a moment to be certain that the rags (and a small army of back-up rags) were doing their job, then directed a supply closet open to get the mops started on the Entrance Hall.

"Idiots without supervision will always get into some sort of trouble," Quoft replied, bored as he folded his arms over his chest and watched the mops do their work.

He wasn't looking forward to the start of term. He'd have to do mopping by hand to better keep the students from trampling the mop or deciding to charm it to do something else.

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-30 04:53 am UTC (link)

"Hell, idiots with supervision will get in some sort of trouble," he quipped in response. "Just that with supervision there's someone around to roll their eyes and set everything to rights again."

He watched the cleaning for a moment and wondered if he should put that in his report. He thought maybe if he was bored enough, he'd do just that. Give Harry something interesting to read. First I patrolled the entrance hall. Then the Great Hall. Then the upper halls. Then I watched the caretaker clean. He used rags and a mop but didn't sweep first ...

Amused at his thoughts, he chuckled before he glanced again to the clock.

Sigh. Maybe he'd go patrol the grounds. "Well, it was nice chattin', but I should probably give a look around the rest of the grounds," he explained.

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grim_sentinel
2010-03-30 05:19 am UTC (link)

"Sounds absolutely thrilling."

Honestly, he wasn't paying much attention at this point. He never really liked anyone new in the castle. Quoft even sort of detested the first years, but they were necessary with their predecessors finally graduating and going off to bother their future employers with their antics.

"If anyone dead shows up, tell them to wipe their feet before wandering in off the grounds."

That said, Quoft aimed his wand at the mops, sending them scuttling away to their closet. His attention was needed in the Great Hall now, then an hour off for breakfast in his office was called for.

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just_a_vulture
2010-03-30 05:27 am UTC (link)

"Will do," he agreed with something of a salute before he pushed away from the door to stroll along toward the door. He'd do a sweep of the grounds, check the gate, then head back inside. By then it should be about time for a shift change, and he could head home and crash for a bit.

Humming to himself as he sauntered along, he grinned. That had been fun; he'd have to hit up the bloke again the next time he was on patrol.

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