open; the potions master

[shivving]

Who: Joel and YOU
Where: The potions classroom, around the school
When: Throughout the event
Rating: haha...we'll see
Summary: Will include options to interact with Joel in or out of class, as well as a mingle style toplevel for Potions classes (just don't let Professor Grumpy catch you talking when you should be working!
The Story:

Potions Class

The structure of Professor Miller's classes is more or less the same, whatever year you're in. There's a short lecture on the day's potion, followed by a practical section where students work in pairs or small groups to craft their own. First and second years get fairly basic lectures and potions alike, and a lot of individual attention, with Joel wandering around the classroom, checking on everyone's work and occasionally offering help or advice. By the time the students reach sixth or seventh year, however, they're left more or less on their own when making potions. Joel's always available for help if they want to ask, though, and if anyone gets too rowdy or doesn't seem to be doing their work, it won't be too long until he's there to glare them into behaving.

Unlike other professors of the subject, Joel's always been more interested in the practical uses of potions than their theory or history. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of interpretation, but it does mean less essays for his students to write (and for him to grade). Win/win, right?

Office hours/outside of class

The dungeons are dark and creepy and that's just how Joel likes them. Even when he's not teaching class, he can be found there often, preparing lesson plans (to the extent he ever bothers preparing lesson plans) or just poking at some of his own weird experiments. Worried about your grade? Have a question about a new potion? Just want to chat? Good luck with that last one, but technically his door is open.

Wildcard

Contrary to popular belief, Professor Miller does emerge from his cavelike existence - almost daily! He eats in the Great Hall and even goes outside occasionally.

Comments

[shivving]

Joel nods. Somehow, it's not surprising to hear that Tim hadn't yet talked to the nurse.

"You go and do that, then," he says. "Tell him about - whatever else you've got goin'. It's his job to figure all that out." He pauses, looking Tim square in the eye.

"There ain't no reason for you to keep having to go through this. Not if there's a solution that'll help."

[postictal]

"I guess." The words are muttered, nearly inaudible. He's got a good point, and there's no harm in asking. Or, uh. There's actually kind of a lot of harm in asking, if he ends up ingesting something that reacts real badly to his meds.

"...thanks," he adds, forcing himself to make eye contact. Even if it sounds grudging, it's genuine. The suggestion was a good one. He'll have to take it up sometime.

[shivving]

Joel nods again, more or less satisfied that Tim will actually listen. He'll have to ask Rutherford about it later, see if the kid's actually followed up with him.

"Alright," he says, and turns back to his desk, signaling that the conversation is over. "Go on, then. I'll see you in class."

[postictal]

"'kay." And immediately, he wishes he'd said something, anything but that. It just sounds so goddamn - so casual, like this means nothing, like he's not talking to a Professor for christ's sake, and before he can mentally berate himself further, he just goes ahead and takes his leave.

This is probably just gonna make things worse, he considers glumly. Story of his damn life.