-Not a Joke-

[Ginny Weasly]

"I'm five." Cody said, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. Why was it everyone always thought he was younger than he was? He wasn't that small. It was probably just something to do with his father's side.

"What do you want, debole?" He eyed the man with dislike. He didn't even know him and he already felt he didn't like him.

"I'm going to be a substitute at the school...I need to talk to a grownup." The man twitched nervously underneath Cody's gaze, he didn't like the way the child looked at him. Cody's ice blue eyes shone in an unnatural way, or so it seemed to the man. And Stacey wasn't any better, glaring at him with red eyes and fire flickering in her palm.

"Substitute?" Cody's eyebrow went up. This guy was here to take over for his mother. This guy was the reason he and his mother had eaten dinner at the school tonight, waiting around for someone who had obviously gotten lost in the forest.

[potter_fan122]

Stacey`s eyebrows alos twitched up; she didn`t know everything, but she guessed that this man was there to take over for Ginny.

"If you are the substitite, then you should have nore respect for children." She said, glancing down towards Cody. Her eyes flickered deep emerald green in contrast of the fire, which grew slightly.

[Ginny Weasly]

"Children don't deserve respect, for they are not to be feared." His tone became stronger, self assured even. Cody couldn't help it. He started laughing, loudly.

"Fat lot you know." He gasped out between peals of laughter. He actually had to hold his sides from laughing so hard. The man looked indigent, and curious. He frowned, looking to Stacey for what this meant. But Cody supplied the answer, still grinning widely.
"Children are much more dangerous than adults. They have not yet gained the moral sense of right and wrong, so anything is possible. You have no clue."

The man blinked, still amazed by the way Cody spoke. "Well...um..." he stuttered.

"C'mon. We can take you up to the school. Debole." Cody jerked his head in the direction of the castle.

[potter_fan122]

Stacey couldn`t help but giggle as Cody laughed. She beamed smugly at the man.

"Children are the ones that often understand things adults don`t. As one grows, they usually lose their imagination to any possibility." She added to Cody`s statement. She took a couple steps toward the school, waiting to see if they would follow before she walked any farther.

[Ginny Weasly]

Cody walked past Stacey when she stopped, shoving his hands deep into his pockets and scowling darkly in front of him. This man had already pushed him futher than he usually allowed someone, but Cody knew the man was valuble in a sense. His mother would kill him if he hurt this man. Though, at the moment, he really wanted to.

The man frowned, unable to figure out either of the two children he had just spoken to, shaking his head and following Stacey and Cody. They were strange, these two. Was this how the entire school was? Was he sure he wan't this job?

It wasn't a long walk to the castle, but Cody walked quickly. he wanted as little time with this man as he could have. He didn't like him one bit.

[potter_fan122]

Stacey quickly matched her stride to Cody`s, walking next to him, but glancing over her shoulder once or twice to make sure the man was following. She could tell Cody didn`t like the man, it was obvious by the look on his face and his quick actions.

She wasn`t to happy to have the man there either. She loved Ginny`s classes, yes, she was pregnant, but that wouldn`t make Stacey feel any better about the sub taking her place. And besides, the man didn`t seem too friendly, and she hoped he would warm up to the students.

[Ginny Weasly]

As they neared the school, adult looking figures stood on the large steps just in front of the door. They were several of the teachers, including Ginny. The group was talking lowly, and once they saw Cody, Stacey and the still unnamed man, they quieted.

"Professor Kindles." Flitwick's high pitched voice piped out, full of warmth and honest welcome. The little man stepped forward, meeting the group of three just at the stairs and grasping Kindles's hand tightly. The other teachers weren't as quick to welcome the thin sickly looking man.

"I apologize for my late timing. I got lost." Kindles admitted uneasily.

"Debole." Cody murmured to Stacey, rolling his eyes. Ginny and McGonegall exchanged looks, and Ginny stepped down to the newest addition to Hogwart's staff. She didn't hold out a hand, but instead nodded in welcome. Even in the dark, her fantastically bright red hair shone, causing the new guy's eyes to immediately lead to her. It didn't help that  her face was attractive, and had she not been pregnant, so would her body have been.

"As it is so late, I suppose we'll simply get you settled in Professor Kindles. Tomorrow I will incorporate you into my class schedule and show you the basics of the study. For now, my son and I need to get home." She gestured to Cody and Kindles's eyes got large.

"He is your son?! He talks like he's thirty!"

"I assure you, he's simply five." Ginny touched her forehead, "Minerva, I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded at McGoneglle then looked at Stacey, "Would you mind walking with Cody and I down to the gates?"

[potter_fan122]

Stacey gave a small nod to the teachers as she approached them, staying off of the steps. She couldn`t help but smile when Cody whispered to her. Her eyes flashed purple as she stiffled a giggle. She spaced out for a moment, suddenly lost in thought, and she just barely heard it when Ginny spoke to her.

"Huh? Oh, sure." She replied, slightly confused. She looked around herself, trying to figure out what she agreed to. Of course she would have done anything any of the teachers asked her to, she just wondered.

[Ginny Weasly]

"Gate." Cody muttered lowly, nudging Stacey with his elbow. He jerked his head at the path which lead to the gates and nudged her again to get her to walk. He avoided looking at his mother, knowing he was already in trouble for getting angry and talking back to her, not to mention running off. His mom would probably tell his dad and he'd get another talk about respecting his mom and how important it was to be nice to her right now and blah. Blah. Blah.
Without waiting for Stacey of Ginny, Cody stuffed his hands in his pockets and started down the path.

Ginny made a face when he started walking, rolling her eyes. She gave a last wave to the rest of the teachers as she and Stacey began walking after Cody.
"Sometimes, Cody thinks he's smarter than he is." Ginny said very quietly to Stacey.

Though he had gotten better lately. Looking forward to school made him agreeable at most times. He didn't want his parents to decide he couldn't go.

[potter_fan122]

"Oh." Stacey mumured when Cody explained to her what she had missed. She followed Ginny and Cody, having no idea why they wanted her to follow them. Her eyes shocked into an electric green that was a color so shocking and unnatural that her eyes seemed to glow. She nooded in understanding as Ginny whispered to her.

She cleared her throat softly, finding it slightly dry. "So, uh... can I help you with anything?" She asked, not sure how to phrase the question when she hardly knew what she had agreed to, let alone why she agreed or why the two wanted her to follow. 

"I mean, I have no idea what I`m doing besides following you." She added, shaking ehr head. Suddenly, she couldn`t quite recall what she had been doing with Cody before.

[Ginny Weasly]

"Making sure I don't throttle my only son." Ginny said calmly, sighing and closing her eyes momentarily. She was very tired, had a huge headache. Stupid hormones. She reopened her eyes and nodded off at Cody.
"That and making sure I don't fall."

A very real threat of that existed. Although Ginny was graceful when she was fighting, moving quick and agile like a cat, when it came to walking she was a total klutz. She was spacey sometimes, and wouldn't watch her steps, causing her to trip. It was an embarrassing thing to admit sometimes, but she usually fell down once or twice a day. Not lately, though. That would have been very bad in her condition.

"So what do you think of that guy back there?" Ginny made a face, "Think he'll do a good job?"

[potter_fan122]

Stacey ouldn`t help but have a small smile on her face when Ginny said she might strangle Cody. That would have been funny to watch if there wouldn`t be a real threat. She understood perfectly what Ginny said about falling down; she herself often fell when she wsn`t paying attention, even though her balance was close to perfect, she could barely walk on a flat surface without having somethignt o fall over.

"Haha." She replied sarcastically. "Only if he gets past his fear for smart kids." She said jokingly. She really hoped the man would be a good teacher, otherwise she could very easily make his temporary stay less comfortable, or even shorter. But she kept those thoughts away for now, not knowing if Ginny was listening to her or not.

"But really, I can`t exactly tell. His first impression wasn`t too good, so things should get better, or I`m going to complain until you come back." She said, her smile momentarily growing.

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny chuckled, almost sadly. There was something she hadn't told the students yet. Something that she had thought about a lot but still hadn't decided. She sighed, giving Stacey a small smile.
"I don't know if I'm going to come back next year."

Shrugging she reached up to her own bright red hair and tugged on a strand of it. It made her feel better when she was nervous or uncomfortable. It was something Xaver had done a long time ago. It just made her feel better.

"I know I won't be back in time for the end of the school year. Only a few months left after all."

[potter_fan122]

Stacey immediatly stopped walking, her eyes dark and blank. Her gaze was distant and her mouth was slightly open. Her arms were slightyl raised, as if she had been about to pick something up or touch something. She froze like that for about three seconds, and in that short amount of time, an confusing amount of thoughts shot through her mind.

Did I hear her right? She has to come back. What will happen if she leaves and something weird happens? Who will help me like she can? Who can answer my question? Who will teach me? Her mind was completely closed. It was a simple mental trick she had taught herself where she pictured a swtichboard in her head, then flipped a switch off, blocking her mind from other people. She kept it like that most of the time, it had become a nagging habit that wouldn`t go away easily.

"What?" She asked softly, her eyes snapping back.

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny sighed, each of Stacey's thoughts hitting her roughly. She glanced down the path, were Cody still walked sullenly, then looked back at Stacey.
"No, you heard right. I might not be coming back to Hogwarts."

She sighed, shaking her pretty head. "But Stacey, I will always be your teacher. I just don't think I'll be able to be your teacher here."

Ginny glanced back at the school behind them, "I already work part-time, and the headmaster isn't going to like that I'll work even less hours. Not to mention, I don't get paid enough to do everything I do." Ginny frowned as she thought of all the distasteful things she'd done.

"And my baby is going to need me."