First Edition

[angelfruitcake]

It seems the powers that be have quite the esoteric sense of humour. I arrive to take up my new duties and a large portion of the student body has been rendered incapable of reading anything more challenging than the most simplified versions of "Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump".

In any case, greetings, Hogwarts. My name is Ezra Fell. Headmaster Dumbledore has requested I take up the mantle as Librarian of this school, as apparently my predecessor was found lacking in some way. Some of you may be familiar with the bookshop I run in Soho down in London; it's a popular location for youngsters to duck into to try to pluck up the courage to try to sneak into some of the more... illicit establishments in the area.

[VOICE]

Er, I might as well speak this part as some of the potentially interested parties may not be able to read at this juncture. If any of the small children would like to see a presentation of Muggle sleight-of-hand "magic", I am something of an enthusiast and would be pleased to put on a show.

[/VOICE]

Comments

[notyourmum]

[She doesn't reply, but a few minutes later the door of the library is pushed open and a young woman walks in. If Ezra has heard anything about her at all, or perhaps seen a photograph, she's unmistakeably Dolores Maryam.. but definitely being affected by whatever is happening to the school.]

Mr. Fell?

[angelfruitcake]

[Ezra turns, and is grateful that this particular brand of school strangeness passed him over for what must be the millionth time that day. Sure enough, there's no mistaking that the girl before him will one day be the school nurse.]

Ah, Miss Ma- er, Pennington. How has this rather eventful day been treating you?

[notyourmum]

Very strangely!

[She approaches, brushing a crease out of her robes, and stops a few feet from him, glancing over her shoulder towards the door.]

I seem to be in the wrong year, and I do not mean school year! Do you know what's happening?

[angelfruitcake]

[Ezra steeples his hands below his chin, wondering if it's his place to just come out and say. Time paradoxes can be so tedious, after all.]

I do believe I have the answer to your question, but am unsure if it's wise to just throw it out there willy-nilly, as it were.

Suffice it to say, it appears to be one of those castle-related matters.

[notyourmum]

Mmm.. I suppose you're right.

[She knows why he won't say - at least, she knows why she wouldn't say - and although the curiosity is there she doesn't want to compromise anything by finding out something that she shouldn't. Time could be a tricky thing.]

I don't think I can remember it ever doing something so serious as pulling people out of their own time.