Office Hours

[Nikolai Sleptov]

• His was not a disciplined nature. True, he had the presence of mind to operate within society's constraints, and few would doubt that he could get things done, but "work" was a concept that had always made perfect sense in theory, but was tiresome in practice. Lecturing, as far as the Russian was concerned, was quite pleasant, but the paperwork that accompanied assessment threatened to drive him near as mad as his stepmother (a joke he would never dare utter within his sister's hearing). It was this lack of discipline that had led to procrastinating...and forced him into his cave of an office for the better part of the Sunday afternoon.
  
  Dimly lit and simply furnished, the office provided contrast to the man sat within it, who had never seen much sense in improving his surroundingsùcomfortable, clean, and of quality, the room suited Nikolai well enough; lavish furnishings, in his mind, could be reserved for his own home. Today, as it had been for the past fortnight, it was strewn with papers. Really, the only difference the professor could note from that morning was a visible pile of completed gradingùa small victory over his younger pupils; Nik had yet to wage battle against his NEWT students.
  
  As he sifted through the pile, the wizard vowed never to let his work accumulate so much againùor at least, never to listen to the seventh-years' insistences that he had promised returned assignments a week ago. One could only read so many reports on werewolves in succession before acquiring a desire to hunt the poor bastards down simply to avoid hearing of them again.
  
  An ambiguousùneither soft nor forceful, neither brisk nor languid; the wizard could not be certain to whom it might belongùknock at the heavy oaken door drew his attentions from a less-than-adequate report on the types of protective magics, though his eyes did not leave the parchment before them as he called out, "Enter," tinted lightly with a Russian accent that he doubted any number of decades in Britain would ever diminish. A swift quill-stroke scrawled a P for æpoor' beneath the author's name as his visitor entered, and Nik slid the assignment away from him as he reclined, pleased for the respite this interruption would provide him.
  
  Hands moving behind his neck to cradle his head, Nikolai did not speak again, instead raising his eyebrows as if to say, yes? a distraction was indeed welcome, after all, however he could not allow it to linger for eons if its purpose was a trivial one.

  

[Oscarinne Harden]

After a few weeks of not sleeping and thinking over all pros and cons, Oscarinne Harden, a sixth year Slytherin student found inside her enough courage to show up on the floor where professor Sleptov had his office. It was a week ago. She chickened out after a few minutes of sneaking around and ran down to the Slytherin common room. Since she figured out what she wanted to do after Hogwarts, Oscar tried to do her best to achieve her goal. She wanted to be more than perfect inh classes which were required to apply for Aurors training. She wanted to be more than perfect, because of her gender. It was elementary to show everyone that she was ready to do everything to get that job and she needed to be better than most males. Which meant that she needed extra lessons.

Finally she gathered her courage again and this time knocked to the office door. Almost immediately she rubbed a bit sweaty hands on her students robes and waited for an answer. Today she was more nervous than the day she got a rejection from Chief Walrock (good that he kicked the calendar so fast!). After that event, Oscarinne learnt that upper class men werent willing to help her in anything. But professor Sleptov was a teacher so he (in theory) had to help her, but if he was eager to do it was another question.

Muffled "enter" word came from the office. The Slytherin girl turned a knob, feeling that her stomach travelled up to her throat and she stepped across the threshold with a quiet good morning professor at her lips. She felt stiff like a marionette when she closed the door behind her and looked at the man. They looked at each other for a few minutes and then Oscarinne took a deep breath, crossed hands behind her back and slowly released the air from her lungs. "I'vecometoaskforhelp" she spat it out on one breath, without making pauses after each word. She swallowed her saliva and took a deep breath and tried to speak it out loud properly. She already felt that her cheeks turned red. "I I've come to ask if you could give me a few extra lessons from defence, professor I want to learn more than you show us during classes."

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[Nikolai Sleptov]

• It would have been a lie to suggest he was not disquieted by Miss Harden's appearance in his office, though of all his female students, hers was the presence least likely to cause him severe unease, save for his daughters. A lady in form only, and even then only just, her lack of traditional femininity was something he found comforting, given his own nature and history. Still, her unexpected arrival at his door was not wholly welcomed, but any immediate feelings of discomfort were eased somewhat when it seemed she was no more comfortable with their present arrangement than he himself.
  
  That the sixth year sought extra lessons came as a surprise to Nik. True, there was no doubt that she was interested to learnùeven with a benefactor, none from such a background lasted so long at Hogwarts if they did not wish to be thereùbut what she could want from him, the Russian did not know. Surely potions, herbology, even charms would be of more use to a girl who was, likelier than not, destined for some sort of service position? Oscarinne Harden was an adequateùmore thanùstudent, of course, else she would not have been accepted into his NEWT level class, but still the question remained: what could she possibly need with a more in-depth education into defence against the dark arts?
  
  Nikolai voiced as much aloud, though tried to maintain a bit more tact: "My dear, what could you want with extra lessons? Surely your present courses are enough to keep you busy as it is without adding on top extra work that you do not need?" As a professor who did, in earnest, enjoy teaching, he could not in good conscience refuse her, but at the same time the wizard was unwilling to encourage a future that would see him uncomfortable and her struggling to shove knowledge into her head that would, in the end, be useless to her. Still, the professor gestured to the low wooden chair at the opposite side of his desk, inviting the witch to take a seat and explain herself.

  

[Oscarinne Harden]

Her cheeks were already red like radishes. She felt as her heart beat painfully fast and her hands sweated. The Slytherin girl didn't know why she was so nervous upon this whole situation. Maybe it was because of the interior of Mr Sleptov's office (which reminded her about Mr Black's place of work very badly ) or maybe because of her professor's watchful eyes pointed directly on her. There was also an option that she wanted this so badly and she was afraid of refusal just like it was with this old prick.

His question annoyed her a bit, but quickly she regained herself and in silence slipped onto the wooden chair as he wished. Now there will be the hardest part of her plan. Will he laugh at her and order her to leave as soon as he heard about her plans for future? Or will be he as tolerant as earl Browning and his beautiful wife? Oscarinne bit her lower lip and placed her hands on knees, wrapping fingers together. Where to startà "Well, couple of years ago I thought about my future after Hogwartsà" she started with a gasp, looking at professor sheepishly. "And I realized that I can't take anyà proper job for a person of my social status, because my mother already works far beyond her strengthà and I don't want to work like that and certainly I don't want her to work like that until she diesà" Oscarinne tried to swallow from suddenly dry mouth. It was hard to speak about it with the upper class man, who always had everything what he wanted. "So I decided that I need to get a good job, probably in the Ministry and when I went through job bulletins from five years I realized that the only job I can see myself in is the Auror's office. I want to be an auror, professor."

The girl clenched fingers around her knees and looked down at her worn out shoes. She waited for a reaction from his side, but anticipation almost killed her. Shyly, she looked back at Nikolai. "And there could be something except of my gender against my candidature." She took a very deep breath and licked dry lips. Oscarinne didn't want to talk about her father's past. She doubted that Nikolai Sleptov would understand. People of his class didn't understand it at all. "I figuredthat if I have the best grades they could allow me to start the training. Soà that's why I'd like to ask you for extra lessons, professor."

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[Nikolai Sleptov]

• Her admission caught him off guard, so far was it from what the professor might have expected. It was not that Miss Harden was so far from the mark of what one would anticipate from an aurorùoh, she was oft a trouble maker, but on paper she was no worse a candidate than most of her yearùbut that she was a miss that struck him as strange. True, her upbringing was hardly that of a young lady destined for teas and balls, and he strongly doubted she would ever be satisfied with simple secretarial work, but Nikolai had never pegged the witch with such ambition, and he could not help but wonder if she knew just what such a future would entail. The time it took her to voice her reason for standing before him suggested the sixth year knew her aims were not standard onesùshe seemed to be doing all she could to justify her position to the professor, which Nik could not help but, to an extent, respect.
  
  He himself had been an auror once, back in Russia, before evolving circumstances had demanded a less trying job from him. He knew the long hours of work required to obtain such a position, the longer hours required by the position, as well as its dangers. At the same time, he still remembered the satisfaction that the job provided him, and a challenge unlike any he had been able to find in his teaching career. If Miss Harden was willing to put forth the effortùand oh, how far from gently he would go on the girl; he would not waste both their time if she was not truly dedicated to this goalùhe would supply her with the extra lessons such ambition required.
  
  "I was an auror, once," Nikolai offered the witch. "Years ago, before my father's passing, and before my daughters were born. It is not an easy mountain to climb, even with assistanceùshould you start on that path and carelessly change your mind in a matter of weeks, even months, it will have been a waste of time, efforts, and thought that would have found better place elsewhere." He stood to look her overùwith her sitting and his rather large height, he realized belatedly he might have come across as more intimidating than indentedùface sceptical but eyes critical. He knew she served on her house's quidditch teamùthat alone suggested a level of roughness about her, one that would be necessary in such a future. That she had made it as far as his office suggested a high level of determination, to boot.
  
  "You might be willing to waste your time, Miss Harden, but I most certainly am not."

  

[Oscarinne Harden]

Oscarinne raised her eyes on the professor and her face lit up a shade of a smile. If he was an Auror once, he knew the best what she needed. Her respect to him immediately increased. The girl listened to him carefully, almost sucking every word from his lips. The one thing just struck her. The Slytherin girl didn't sound determined enough for him. Since the day she decided to be an Auror every hour she spent over books and on the Quiddtich pitch she dedicated it to her dream. And now the older man wasn't entirely convinced that she was sure that it is something that she wanted to do in the future.

Then he stood up from his chair and suddenly she felt like a really small girl. She was rather short in her height and she was sitting on the chair. Oscar felt not only like a little girl now. She felt like he was threatening her. A normal girl, one of this fragile girls, would probably swoon or be frightened. Oscar treated it like a trial. Apparently, he wanted to try her. She looked up at him, brushing hair from her forehead and straightening her back. "I made my mind years ago, professor Sleptov" she announced, her voice was like steel. "I don't like wasting my time either. I wouldn't bother you if I didn't have a reason. I am not spoiled brat from wealthy family, you know that. I'm ready, I'm not afraid. And it seems that in this whole blo... in this school you're the one, who knows the best what qualifies I need to have before I start my career. I have two years for it. Is it long enough?" she sent him a bit rebellious look.

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[Nikolai Sleptov]

• Her unwillingness to back down made his mind up for him.
  
  "Very well, then," he offered nonchalantly, reclining once more into his seat. It seemed she would not be dissuaded, which was heartening, and her words were true enough. If Eva should have come to him and made such a declaration, he would have dismissed it as easily as he breathed, knowing full well that she lacked both the temperament and the drive for such a role. Petra would have elicited a similar reactionùthough in her respect, it would have been down to her lack of assertiveness. A girl to whom life had little else to offer, however, and who knew little (if anything) of the more delicate lifestyle, was likely as suited to such a position as any man, provided she had the skill to support such a role.
  
  And that skill, it seemed, would be in part his own doing.
  
  "Most don't make up their minds until their fifth or six years either, though if your timetable is not built for the taskùthat is, if you are not enrolled in all of the courses you needùthen there is no point in even dreaming." Nik then listed off all the subject areas that his student's ambition required. "You will be workedùhardùoutside of class to ensure you are well-prepared, and I will be keeping a very close eye on your efforts in class as well. Rest assured, if I see you slip even momentarily in my classroom, I will regret my decision to help you outside of it. Are these favourable terms, Miss Harden?"

  

[Oscarinne Harden]

Oscarinne sighed silently with relief when the man before her sat back. She didn't grow used to his height, she knew that most of female students from her and higher years admired him, because of his outstanding posture. He was so handsome, they used to say. For Oscarinne professor Sleptov was a man. There was some resemblance to her father, at least from early memories of him she kept in her mind. She couldn't judge if he was handsome or not, because she never noticed such things. Men were men, boys were boys. It was simple and helped her to keep her thoughts at bay.

"From O.W.L.s I had E in Potions and Charms, O in Defence Against the Dark Art, but only A in Transfiguration" a soft blush appeared on her cheeks. Evangeline did everything to prepare Oscar to O.W.L. from Transfiguration, but she was so stressed out that she didn't gain E from this test. "But I'm working on making my grades from this class better. Evangeline Asperhand is helping me with it and she is the best in our class."

The girl pressed her lips in a thin line. She didn't like being watched, but the girl knew that if he said it is important, then it was. Oscarinne nodded slowly and stood up. "It's a good deal, professor" she said with her head proudly raised. "I won't let you down." She waited in silence on his answer, but after few seconds she blushed. "Thank you for giving me a chance."

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[Nikolai Sleptov]

• He listened as she recanted her grades. For the most part, they sounded adequate, though she would be in no position to apply for auror training if she could not obtain a higher Transfiguration NEWT. Nonetheless, she was still only in her sixth yearùthat particular bridge had plenty of time to be constructed and crossed, and Nik did not doubt that she would arrive at the appropriate grades, provided she put the work into it. On that account, too, he was now satisfied, though to say that he was looking forward to working with her would almost certainly have been a lie. True, he doubted she posed him the usual... threat, but continued close-quarters was an inevitability with which he was still not entirely comfortable; Nikolai knew that he would have to work on that, just as she worked on her academics.
  
  "I should hope not, Miss Harden," the professor returned with a nod. "I should hope more fervently, however, that you do not let yourself down. Failing in this wastes my time, but threatens your future. I do not believe that, given your circumstances, I need to explain to you how unfortunate such a failing would be." Internally, he sighed. There was little use tryingùconsciously or otherwiseùto frighten the girl off now; Oscarinne seemed fully set upon and satisfied with the conclusion they had reached. No doubt he would be seeing far more of her determinationùstubbornness?ùin the coming months.
  
  The wizard cleared his throat. "I shall inform you when a time has been set, and I will expect you to accommodate whatever hours I have to offer you." His tone was lazy, but still did not invite any discussion on the matter. "Now, was there anything else I might do for you?"

  

[Oscarinne Harden]

It was too easy. Oscarinne was used to fighting for every single favour she got from anyone. And then this man seemed not only be interested in everything she had to say, but also he wanted to help her. If only this old prick from the Ministry would be like professor Sleptov, probably her father could spend next Christmas with his family. Oscar was well aware that the man opposite her could as well tell her in nice words to fuck off. But instead, he was ready to sacrifice his time to teach her something that might come in handy in the future.

She knew that it's only the beginning and there was a long and tiring way before her, but she wasn't alone now. The thing she achieved right now was far beyond her expectation and probably for now she couldn't judge about its value just now. It was a big step forward for her. Hearing his question, Oscar shook her head and stood up from the chair she occupied. "No, there's nothing more, professor Sleptov" she said and a shade of a kind, joyful smile tugged in the corners of her lips. She was grateful. "I'll go now and finish my assignment for Charms. Goodbye, professor." Oscarinne turned off from him and silently made her way towards the door. As soon as she found herself outside of the professor's office she allowed herself to smile widely and triumphant.

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