Just a little bit homesick (Open)

Colin sagged into a chair in the staff room with relief. Being around all the children was stressing him out. He like calm and quiet, kids did not bring that.

The only child he did like was miles away.

Oh well, he had to do this, he reminded himself. He was doing it for her.

Still, he glanced at the fire, would it hurt so much to check up on her?

Kieran needed a break from the outdoors for a bit. The sun was affecting him more then it usually did and indoors was the best medicine for it. Making like a bee towards the Staff Room on hopefully towards some nice and delicious he entered the room.

He entered the room and was so oblivious that he didn't notice who looked like the Head of Hufflepuff judging by his dark yellow clothes. Not wanting to disturb the man who looked deep in thought he took one of the other seats after getting a nice cup of coffee. Blood would have been better but sadly he had that stashed away at his own room.

Kieran closed his eyes and enjoyed the darkness that came with it.

Colin's consentration was lost when the door to the staff room opened.

He glanced up at the other professor who had walked in. He didn't recognize him, but having only just arrived a short time ago he didn't know many staff members other than the Headmaster who hired him.

Shaking his head he pulled away from the fire - Delaney could wait; she was probably having too much fun with her cousins to notice he was gone anyways.

"Good evening," he nodded at the other man, who seemed to be relaxing also. He left it at that, not wanting to interupt thoughts that this man may not want interupted.

Kieran was enjoying the silence when the other man spoke up. Opening his eyes he turned to him and nodded and said "Good evening to you as well. I do not think i know you but then again I just started here so it's not a surprise. My name is Kieran Reinhardt and I teach Care of Magical Creatures."

Sitting up more fully in his chair Kieran took a sip of his cooling coffee.

Colin smiled softly, "I've heard the students commenting on the number of new Professors - I too am new; Colin O'Brian - astronomy."

"So Kieran," he looked about the room a moment before turning back to the other Professor, "is this your first teaching job - or have you been working in this professor else where?"

"No this is my first teaching job actually." he said taking a drink of his coffee, "I love it so far although I do hate having to teach in the daytime. Hurt my eyes a lot."

"Have you taught elsewhere," Kieran asked back to the man eying some lint on his coat and removing it.

Colin gave Kieran a brief look. It seemed odd that the light should bother him so, but he decided not to say anything, instead he added, "Yes the sun has been quite bright recently."

"No, no, no," he shook his head and laughed a little, "To be perfectly honest I'm not sure if I'm proper for this job. I needed it more than I wanted it... but I guess the headmaster knows what he's doing. Besides like I said, I need the job."

"Well I guess we will see over time if you like the job and do it well, won't we then."

Sitting there in the silence Kieran said, "I certainly love how quiet it is here at the moment. Those kids can certainly raise a raucous."

Colin nodded solemnly at his point.

"Yes," he added vehmently, "They certianly are! A constant mass of noise - it's odd how one doesn't seeme to notice this when they are the student." He chuckled softly to himself. He certainly didn't remember being quite so noise a student.

"Yes but then again maybe we weren't that noisy. Maybe the kids of today have just gotten louder," he said smiling.

"So how did you come about getting a job here at Hogwarts?" Kieran asked.

He smiled and nodded at the other man's point, "Too true."

"Me?" Colin paused a moment thinking back to his life before... everything and how it lead him hear, "Well... for quite a few years I actually wrote for the Daily Prophet. The pay was well, and I didn't mind it, but then..." he shook his head. It wouldn't do to dwell on the past; he was here now, and he was going to make sure it didn't happen again, "things happened, and news wasn't... I couldn't stay." He heaved a sigh, "and then it lead to me still needing a job; astronomy was really the only thing I ever excelled at besides writing, so here I am."

"What about yourself?"

"Just by chance really," he said, "I had heard that they were looking for new teachers and jumped at the opportunity to join the Hogwarts crew."

Looking down at his glass he saw it was empty. He got up to refill if then sat back down.

"Jumped at the chance, eh?" he asked smiling slightly, "Dying to teach magical half-pints were you?"

He shook he's head. He really was going to have to get use to the children being around if he was going to teach.

God, he thought covering his eyes, what have I gotten myself into?