Hogwarts and the New Headmaster

12. The Headmaster's First Day

Viridis woke the next morning to the sound of pounding outside his bedroom door. He bolted upright in bed and stared at the unfamiliar surroundings, assuming he was in some kind of trouble, until he remembered where he was and what had happened the night before. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, hoping this wasn't all just a dream.

The pounding started up again, and this time Viridis realized it was coming from the office door. He leapt out of bed, raced into the office, and threw open the door to find Dawn standing there, her face flushed.

"It's about time," she said. "I was afraid you'd gotten lost or something." Her gaze dropped to his chest and she frowned. "Did you sleep in your robes?"

Viridis followed her gaze. His robe was covered with wrinkles, and the large orange stain that marred the front of his robe looked suspiciously like last night's pumpkin dip.

"I was too tired to change," he said, scratching at the stain with a fingernail. He stopped and looked up in alarm. "Why were you banging on my door? Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

"Breakfast has happened," Dawn said. "At least it was supposed to have happened. Fifteen minutes ago. Everyone's in the hall, ready to eat, but the kitchen refuses to serve any food on the headmaster's first day until the headmaster arrives. Tradition, I guess. Anyway, hurry up and change your clothes. Everyone's waiting."

"Sorry," he said, heading back to his bedroom, "I didn't know—" He stopped and spun back around. "My clothes are still in Ravenclaw tower."

"Never mind." Dawn pushed him toward the door. "There's no time anyway. You'll have to go like this." She rushed him out of the office and down the stairs.

They hurried through the castle corridors, Viridis running his fingers through his hair while Dawn cast Scourgify and wrinkle removal spells on his robe. The din of hungry students greeted them as they approached the Great Hall.

The noise died away as the two of them entered. Students whirled around in their seats to catch their first glimpse of the new headmaster. As Viridis passed between the tables, the students burst into enthusiastic applause accompanied by raucous whistling and shouting. Viridis waved weakly, his face burning, and hurried on to the faculty table.

The instructors were noticeably less enthusiastic. They scrutinized Viridis in silence as he approached, their faces hard. Professor Limbeck's face was as grim as the stone gargoyles that decorated the castle walls. Dawn hurried to her seat at the end of the table and buried her face in her hands. Craig leaned back in his chair and grinned as if this was all a wonderful joke.

"It seems we're always waiting on you to arrive for meals," Limbeck growled as Viridis took his place on the large headmaster's chair just to the left of Limbeck.

"Sorry," Viridis mumbled.

"Maybe we should eat breakfast later in the morning," Craig said, his grin threatening to split his face. "Our new headmaster appears to be a late sleeper."

Viridis shot him an exasperated look. "No need for that."

"Do you find the job of headmaster exhausting?" asked Limbeck. He glared down at Viridis, his bloodshot eyes even more watery than Viridis remembered.

"No, of course not," stammered Viridis. The potionsmaster's face was so close, Viridis could count the veins in his eyes. "It's my fault for staying so late at the party."

Limbeck gave him a disparaging look before turning away.

"I've never missed breakfast for any reason," said Thornside, who sat on the other side of Viridis.