open RP: office hours for Potions

[estebanmd]

It had been over a month since Stephen last held office hours, and with another class session coming up, he felt he ought to make good on the promise he had made in the sign-up sheet: that he could be consulted in his office for questions Terry could not answer

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[every_daae]

Christine had spent the afternoon relearning how to cook. She'd learned when she was much younger, but then she'd gone to the Conservatoire and from then on had nothing to do with ovens or pans unless they were stage props. However, after her faint on the Factory Tour, she felt that she should thank the kind gentleman who'd helped her regain consciousness (and make sure he didn't think her immoral for having been seen in her corset). Flowers did not seem appropriate, so Christine had tried her hand at baking.

After several hours, she'd emerged from the kitchen with a plate of slightly lumpy cream puffs, feeling, if not victorious then, reasonably satisfied with her attempt. She arrived at Professor Maturin's office, brushed off the excess flour from her bodice, and knocked on the door. "Professor Maturin? Are you there, Monsieur?"

[estebanmd]

Stephen came to the door readily enough. "Why, Miss Daae, it is good to see you looking so well. You have quite recovered from the events of Mr Slartibartfast's tour, I hope?"

[every_daae]

Christine winced. "Yes. I am very sorry to have caused such trouble. But it was very kind of you to ask." She hesitated a moment, and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Actually, it was on that account that I wished to see you." She then tentatively offered him the plate of cream puffs. "I hope you will accept these, so I may show my gratitude for your assistance? It was really very kind of you to help me as you did, and I am indebted to you for it." With a little hint of pride, she added, "I made them myself."

[estebanmd]

"I should not call it trouble, at all. You might consider adopting modern dress, though; it is rather less constricting, I find, and I should think it therefore more healthful, to say nothing of more convenient." He took the plate of cream puffs, looking at them curiously. They were shaped a bit differently from the cream puffs he was accustomed to seeing, and having gone to medical school in France, Stephen was well aware this was hardly a national difference in cuisine. "How very thoughtful of you. Come, shall we share them, over some tea?"

[every_daae]

"Oh, I'm sure I should enjoy that over all else!" Christine beamed at him and followed him into the study.

"Though I must say I am uncertain about modern dress," Christine commented uncertainly. "I shall keep your advice in mind, but I cannot think it other than immodest for women to have such... short skirts. I could never be comfortable showing my ankles to the world." She considered what other women of her recent acquaintance had been wearing. "Though I must say, I've played pants roles before, and found the costume much less constraining then my usual dresses."

[estebanmd]

"As for that, some modern women do wear long skirts, or skirts of a not immodest length even if not quite reaching the floor. It is the undergarment above all else that constricts, though, and I shall observe to you -- as a physician, mind; you must not take this as an unduly personal reflection -- that even were you to maintain the dress of your own time outwardly, to discontinue the use of corsets might do you a power of good."

Of course, considering some of the things Stephen had worn in his own time, his present modern attire was downright sober.

"Pray do sit," he continued, gesturing to the chair usually used by visitors, a comfortable if somewhat battered thing, "and I shall just call Aloysius to bring tea. Or do you prefer coffee, or perhaps cocoa?"

[every_daae]

Christine delicately swept her dress out of the way and sat on the chair. It seemed a very odd idea to her to give up her corset, but doctors were such trustworthy people....

She put such subjects from her mind and quietly smoothed out her skirt. "I am rather fond of cocoa, but I heard that it is the custom here to drink tea?" Christine looked at him inquisitively. "Whichever you think most proper, sir."

[estebanmd]

Stephen chuckled. "At this school, you will find, there is very little that can be counted as propriety straight across the board. Too great a confluence of customs from different times, places, worlds. Why, I once met an applicant who claimed she came from somewhere called Burger World. Aloysius, cocoa for the lady, if you please, and coffee for me."

Taking his own seat behind the desk, Stephen set the plate of cream puffs on the desk between himself and his visitor. "I had a hive of bees on shipboard once who fed almost solely on cocoa, sweetened cocoa. They knew breakfast-time to the second."

[every_daae]

Christine blinked. "Burger World? That sounds very singular, indeed. I am quite charmed to hear of your bees, though. Were they able to survive on a ship? My friend Raoul is in the Navy, and he says the ships he's served on are quite cramped and enclosed."

[estebanmd]

"Oh, they survived quite well; indeed, they were thriving, until the captain decreed they must be put ashore, the poor creatures. This Raoul, would he have been in the French Navy, now?" There was nothing wrong with the French naval officers, by and large, as long as they were not devout Buonapartists. "They have some fine ships, sure."

[every_daae]

"Oh, yes. He's on leave now, but in six months I believe he's going on an expedition to the South Pole to see if they can find any sign of the parties previously lost there. He's only a midshipman or something of the sort at present. All I can understand is that when people make polite conversation with him, they always expect him to know exactly how steamers run." Christine smiled at him, cheered, as she always was, by the thought of Raoul. "Where did you serve, sir? Were you a ship's doctor, or something of the sort?"

[estebanmd]

"I was that, in the British Royal Navy," Stephen nodded. Just then, Aloysius reappeared with cocoa, coffee, and the unasked-for utensils and plates that would make the consumption of cream puffs rather more civilised. The house elf made quite a good butler, really.

"I am a physician, mind, a doctor of medicine, though the title under which I served was of course that of ship's surgeon." Christine, more closely contemporary to Stephen than the likes of Dr Cox, would likely understand the distinction. "To travel as such affords invaluable opportunities for the study of natural philosophy." Which was true, though by no means Stephen's only reason for taking sail.

[every_daae]

"Forgive me, sir, but are you not overqualified for such a position? Your dedication to natural philosophy is commendable, if that is the main reason for your decision to accept that position."

Christine smiled at him and then looked at everything the house-elf brought. "This looks delightful Professor. Shall I pour?"

[estebanmd]

"That would be most kind of you. Yes, my qualifications are more than those of a surgeon. I must confess it peeved me more than is modest to read out my commission: Dr M appointed surgeon, et cetera. To classify a thing incorrectly is the great shame of the world. The work itself is no mean thing, and at the time I accepted my first commission I was in need of a position." Stephen omitted to mention he had since inherited sizable amounts of money and had no financial reason to take to sea, let alone to teach Potions at Hogwarts. "Since then I have traveled with my particular friend Captain Aubrey, almost invariably -- until coming here, that is. But you have met Captain Aubrey, as I recall."

[every_daae]

Christine poured out the coffee. "Cream or sugar, Professor? It does seem a little strange for a natural philosopher to be incorrectly labeled himself." She lifted a shoulder in a shrug and set down the coffee pot. However, she brightened at the mention of Captain Aubrey. "Oh yes! He's such a kind and admirable gentleman. I found him delightful, if you do not mind me saying so. It must have been a great joy to travel with such a good friend." She beamed at Dr. Maturin happily. "Despite the irritation of accepting a lower position than you are qualified for, I do hope that you enjoyed your time aboard the ship? Well, as much as it is possible to enjoy such a task. Cream puff? I do hope they're alright."