June 14th, 1894 - Merlin's Social club

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So there would be a new professor starting, taking the role of Alchemy, it wasn't a subject that Ignatius had studied but he had come across alchemists in his time, usually quite the odd bunch.

Merlin's was getting busier tonight, it often was on a Friday, but after receiving missives from Samuel Griffith wanting to meet his future colleagues, it seemed as good a place as any for a meeting. A few drinks, a smoke and conversation about the year ahead. Ignatius was a member here, it was pleasant, it catered mostly for the upper middle class, Ignatius was working upper class so he had much in common with the others here. He had already told the door staff that he was expecting a guest so there would be no problems on arrival.

Ignatius stretched his back out and gestured to the waitress for a scotch. He didn't know what Professor Griffith looked like, but he kept an eye on the door for anyone who looked, "professor like" the staff would show him over though. Professor Prince's scotch arrived and he swilled it around in the glass before taking a sip. The man stretched out his back and let out a long relaxed sigh, this ought to be good fun, he hadn't gotten chance to be the welcome party for the school so far.

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   Samuel Griffith

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

June 14th, 1894 - Merlin's Social club

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At the moment Professor Ignatius Prince received his scotch in the parlour, Professor Samuel Griffith stepped out of the fireplace in the foyer of Merlin’s. He gave his travelling cape to the young wizard who staffed the entrance and followed him inside to be introduced to the man he had come here to see.
Prof. Griffith did not much look like one would imagine an alchemist. He appeared to be a well-dressed and impeccably groomed gentleman in his 40s, who might as well have come here straight from a job at the ministry.

The attendant had led him over to Prof. Prince and introduced them:
"Professor Griffith, allow me to introduce you to Professor Ignatius Prince. Professor Prince is an esteemed member of this club. Professor Prince, this is Professor Samuel Griffith."
The attendant bowed out and was gone.

Samuel looked upon the scarred and surprisingly young face of Ignatius Prince. When he was at Hogwarts as a boy, his ancient runes professor had been - well, ancient.
He made a slight bow of his head and extended his hand for a handshake, to finish the formalities of a proper introduction.
This hand showed the first hints of his profession. They were speckled with scars of burns and cuts. Etched into the palm was the faded outline of a transmutation circle dotted with elemental runes, only briefly visible.

"Thank you for taking the time," said Samuel and took his place beside Ignatius.
"I hope you had an amiable term at Hogwarts this year."
An invitation to tell him about his line of work, if Ignatius felt like it.

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   Ignatius Prince

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Ignatius stood to shake the extended hand with a strong welcoming shake, he spotted the little burn marks from rebellious experiments, but thought little of it, his own face was marked by his past most visibly. The professor sat back down and gestured for his guest to do the same. The waitress would flit in as soon as Samuel looked like he was comfortable.

"The year has been interesting, as I suppose is to be expected with an establishment full of magical teenagers." it was interesting though, and Ignatius liked his work for the most part. He wouldn't go in to the problems with bullying and gossip, not on a first date anyway. "It's always good to see a new face, what encouraged you to take a role at the school?" he asked of the man politely. The waitress walked over, a young woman who herself was a recent graduate of her OWLs but did not go further with her education. Ignatius placed his hand over his glass to indicate that he was not done, but gave the other professor a chance to order. Ignatius slipped his cigarette case out of his pocket and offered it to Samuel once the waitress had left.

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Samuel Griffith

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   Samuel Griffith

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

The waitress set down a glass of Blishen's Firewhisky, and Samuel leaned forward to take a cigarette out of the etui that Prof. Prince had produced from his pocket. He thanked him and listened to his colleague's reply intently. Not because Ignatius gave noteworhty details, but because Samuel paid close attention to the inflection of his voice.
"I desired a change of scenery," he replied to Prof. Prince. That was honest, if incomplete.
"My laboratory in London had required my full attention for many years. But after more than two decades devoted to the study of Alchemy, much of that time spent abroad, I felt it was time to take a step back. I could have spent another lifetime down there. Could have written a book that a handful of people would care to read," he smiled and took a sip from his glass of whisky.
"The students at Hogwarts might make better use of what I can teach them."

Samuel took another look at Prof. Prince and decided that so far, he found him to be pleasant enough. His youth was a bit unexpected, but the scars and his manner of conduct suggested that he had managed to accrue some life experience within the years he had seen pass.
He had, Samuel pondered, the appearance of a person who had a story or two attached to himself.
Would he be the sort to be mortified if conversation strayed from the most basic pleasantries? Probably not. But it was not yet the time to put that presumption to the test.
"How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts? Your subject is ancient runes, isn't that so?"

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Ignatius Prince

  

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Professor Prince nodded at the comment about a change of scenery, he knew that feeling entirely and he subconsciously itched at his scar. The man spoke well, a laboratory in London, ample experience in his field, it did bode well for the alchemically inclined students.

He let out a relaxed sigh as he exhaled the smoke. "Myself , I've been a professor for two years, I was a cursebreaker before that, specialised in ancient languages and runic spells, so ancient runes was a natural fit. A change of scenery did me good too, the students are quite refreshing." he gave a fond expression, he enjoyed his job at the moment, it gave him quite a lot of satisfaction teaching, even if his was one of the less popular electives.

"Are you Higwarts Alumni then? Ravenclaw class of 84 myself, I do miss those times, if I could go back that would be something. We had an incident with a deaging potion recently, it wore off though.. clearly." he let out a heartfelt laugh.

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Samuel Griffith

  

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

Professor Griffith watched the smoke of his cigarette swirl in the air of Merlin’s as he listened. When Ignatius Prince mentioned his past as a cursebreaker, he looked up at him with interest.
There it was, apparently, the story he had sensed about him. Griffith sank a bit deeper into the club chair and took another sip of his drink.
“Indeed, I graduated in '69. Slytherin was my house.”
Some men never forgot the animosity between houses. To Professor Griffith, it had meant little. Ravenclaw might have even afforded him a more pleasant experience at the school, but there was little sense in pondering these questions.
“I suppose that much has changed at Hogwarts.”
Most of all, the faculty, he thought. Adolescent wizards and witches would stay the same. The ways of the youth were consistent, even if their fashions varied.
“Much will change about the way Alchemy is taught there. I have it on my mind to make an OWL in ancient runes a requirement for my class.”
He let that sentence linger for a little while, then abruptly asked:
“Ever been to Egypt?”

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Ignatius Prince

  

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Ignatius gave an agreeable smile, getting a few more students into his class would be a good thing, his class wasn't terribly popular, and he could certainly see the relationship between Runes and Alchemy.

"Egypt? Yes, I've spent quite a lot of time their over the years, beautiful country if you can take the heat. I remember one season there the sun felt like it could melt the shirt off your back. I plan on returning their soon. How about you?" he of course would not bring up more personal matter of taking his betrothed along as a research aide, that would have to remain secret, lest the gossips have their way with the pair once more.

"So tell me more about yourself, you married? There is quite the season in Hogsmeade this year for a man looking to slip a ring on his finger."

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Samuel Griffith

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   Samuel Griffith

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

"I have been there, yes, many years ago. It is the birthplace of Alchemy, after all. However, I left for Abyssinia soon after arriving. Many curse breakers make a decent living in Egypt as contractors for Gringotts, do they not?"
Griffith observed Professor Prince with curiosity.
"How did you like your work there?" he asked, assuming that it had indeed been his work that had kept Prince occupied.

Griffith smiled with a pained expression when asked about his marital status. His mother had taken him aside to talk about the topic once more before he left London. Her admonitions on the subject were fresh in his mind.
“I am not married. My family would very much like me to be. I was quite occupied with my practice and only returned home a few years ago. Now that I have steady profession, the matter is on my mind,” he conceded.
“I must admit, I rarely attend these types of events. Perhaps that ought to change. What about you? Are you married then?”

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Ignatius Prince

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   Ignatius Prince

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Ignatius laughed and gave a knowing nod when the other professor mentioned how lucrative the Egyptian scene was for cursebreakers. "I miss the money, I miss the country but the work, I had had enough of that when my time came." his fingers itched his scar again as he talked, an entirely subconscious habit.

The man was still a batchelor, handsome, well spoken and intelligent, it made Ignatius wonder what else there might be keeping suitable women at bay. It wasn't his place to wonder those things so he would out it out of his mind. "I am in a betrothal myself, to a sixth year named Miss Flitwick, has been interesting." he let our a sign, nothing untoward had ever occured, but gossip was gossip. "Her father was planning to pull her out of school and pack her off for a suitor in America, so here we are. She is a delight." he smiled, the young woman was smart and beautiful, the sort he might pick even if it wasn't for their situation.

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Samuel Griffith

  

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

Professor Prince once again scratched the large scar on his face. Griffith's eyes followed the movement.
"That scar bothering you?" he asked, wondering if it was caused by a curse or a creature. He knew a thing or two about scars.

Upon hearing that Professor Prince was betrothed to a student, Griffith had to concentrate to keep his eyebrows from rising. Well, that was one way to skip the drudgery of the debutante circuit, he thought to himself.
"I suppose she was much distraught by her father's plans. It's commendable of you to save her from such disturbance to her life."
Professor Griffith repressed a smile as he observed this very mellow fellow sitting across from him and imagined what his betrothed might look like. Exceedingly pretty, he decided, for this narrative to add up.
Prince hadn't said much about his family, but Griffith was sure now that he must be from high society to have such choice in the matter and to gain the father's approval. At least if nothing improper had happened between them. Otherwise, Hogwarts had a scandal brewing. How intriguing.
"She will continue her education, then? Or is her father pulling her out of Hogwarts regardless?"

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Ignatius Prince

  

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"Old habit." He replied, it was a gently itch that he scratched but not a bother to him, he has not intention of feeding that particular curiosity so he would quickly return the subject.

"Yes she shall, it was part of the arrangement with her parents, they marry into a good name, I get a wife, she gets to graduate, we all win... I guess" he wasn't entirely sure how victorious Emma felt right now, but he hoped to ensure that eventually she too felt the arrangement to be a good one. It was quite interesting the varying eagerness which the upper class girls approached their duties to find a husband.

"I'm very interested to see your approach to Alchemy, over the years I have met a few in my travels, none as well dressed as you, good sir." Ignatius pictured the mad old man in ruined clothes that had taken himself to the brink of madness and beyond in his quest to turn base elements into vast wealth. And no doubt the other professor knew exactly the sort.

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-Samuel Griffith-

  

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

Professor Griffith smiled at the compliment and decided not to pry further about the scar or the girl. Another time, perhaps. This was a first introduction, and for that, it had already afforded him quite the picture of his new colleague.

"Ah yes, the impression people have about the profession is still very much influenced by the likes of Nicholas Flamel," he answered. "I apprenticed with Flamel for a few years, and he is brilliant, no doubt, but very much of his time."
Considering that Flamel was born in the 14th century, that was saying something.
"I don’t deal much with the elementals and turning things into gold. My laboratory was kept afloat by crafting various kinds of Homunculi and selling them to wealthy wizard families. To protect their manors, or for whatever service they require of them."

He observed Professor Prince and wondered if he remembered what a Homunculus was and whether he was boring him.
"As for teaching, I intend to focus on my true specialty and scientific passion — advanced transmutation. I know that former Alchemy Professors rarely taught it because of the dangers. But there is a way to go about it safely." More or less safely.
"I hope for fruitful cooperation between our subjects. Without the knowledge of ancient runes, hardly any of it would be feasible."

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-Ignatius Prince-

  

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Ignatius nodded along to the pleasant chap in front of him, it appeared that they may find plenty of common ground in the future, and it was also likely that their work would overlap. He did have wonderings how much of his cursebreaking life might be helpful, but time would tell on that front, Egypt was a county full of mystery, and also with plenty of horror stories including his own.

"Absolutely, to fruitful cooperation." he said as he raised his glass and offered it to tap against the other man, "And to hoping the first years don't run into one of your homonuculi" he laughed, he hoped the professor would refrain from too much of that kind of thing in the school, there was absolutely a place for that research, but it could be dangerous and unpredictable.

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Samuel Griffith

  

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Thank you MJ for making my Ignatius set!

"Worry not, the first graders remain safe from me and my creations. It is the upperclassmen who need to be on guard." Professor Griffith smiled at Professor Prince and drank up. It was time for him to go.
He sat up straighter in his chair and took a last look at his colleague before bidding him goodbye. He supposed that he liked him and his mellow demeanor. They would get along. And it suited him very well that there was now one teacher at the school that was already known to him.
Griffith stood up and extended his hand.
"It has been a pleasure. I shall see you at Hogwarts, Professor Prince."

And with that, he took his leave. The footman, who had seen him say his goodbyes, waited at the door to the foyer with his coat and hat. Professor Griffith readied himself, then he stepped into the fireplace and disappeared within a green whirl of flames.

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Ignatius Prince

  

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