<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Professor Tyresius Jordan</span></span><br/>As Professor Jordan considered his romantic evening with a friend, the clouds apparently had other plans. A deluge of rain splashed upon the pavement and brownstones in Paddington as well as all of London. Fortunately, he considered an umbrella prior stepping near the curb on Bayswater. He hailed the taxi and rode less than three miles past Buckingham Palace, Westminster, and Big Ben, then across the River Thames at Waterloo station. The rain appeared to intensify, the skies darkened. Tyre Jordan felt a bit uneasy about the storm. The skies gave off that pea green color associated with terrific summer storms, definitely unsettling.<br/><br/>When Professor Jordan arrived, Nathalie Woodbridge waited in the dry comfort of the restaurant. The couple enjoyed a quiet dinner listening to soft violin music while two performers presented a series of spirited one-act plays. The couple was mildly amused by their performance and when dinner was complete, they hailed another taxi in the rain and rode the brief half-mile distance to Royal Festive Hall. "It would have been a nice evening to walk, if the rain held out a while longer," Professor Jordan smiled.<br/><br/>"Tyre, I do not understand this rain. It came on all of a sudden. I was under the impression we would have warm, sunny skies the next three days. This is quite peculiar," Nathalie responded.<br/><br/>"Madame, not too unlikely to fetch us a squall like this, tis time a yeah," the taxi driver announced in a thick cockney accent. He stopped the taxi near the Royal Hall.<br/><br/>Upon alighting from the cab, Tyre paid the man in pounds. The couple quickly walked inside to find their seats in the auditorium. They listened to a wonderful performance by the London Philharmonic Symphony.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/_2jKeYuPvjM"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/_2jKeYuPvjM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" wmode="transparent"/></object></div><br/><br/>"I've always enjoyed Tchaikovsky. They rendered a smashing performance of that piece, wouldn't you agree?" Professor Jordan was excited about the musical display they witnessed. He forgot about the weather after being inside for two hours. He was annoyed it was still raining. They shared the taxi ride home, dropping Ms. Woodbridge at her flat before returning to Paddington.<br/><br/>The next morning, the skies were clear and Professor Jordan made ready to travel to Diagon Alley. He planned to bring Sir Charles Leslie with him. For that reason, he opted to walk. It is a distance just under two miles, near Soho, Covent Garden and the National Portrait Gallery.<br/><br/>Professor Jordan entered<span style="font-style: italic">The Leaky Cauldron</span>with Charles Leslie close behind. The proprietor gave a curt greeting, "morning, professor."<br/><br/>"Top of the morning to you, Thomas," Professor Jordan responded with glee in his voice.<br/><br/>The older man muttered an indiscernible comment under his breath that Professor Jordan failed to hear, nor would he have cared to hear. Charles Leslie on the other hand, heard and understood every syllable. He glared at the man as he trotted by on the way out the back door into the alley that lead to one of the few economic centers in the wizarding community.<br/><br/>After tapping the appropriate bricks, the two entered Diagon Alley. Tyre went immediately to Gringott's Bank to make a withdrawal. He located his vault, number 341 promptly. The vault itself contained very tidy stacks of gold galleons. Each stack, in perfect straightness, not a coin out of place. Each stack contained exactly twenty coins and all stacks arrayed in several rectangular patterns on tables arranged inside the vault.<br/><br/>The first stop after leaving the bank was Flourish and Botts. Since he taught seven classes on the subject of Transfiguration, there were no fewer than nine textbooks on the subject he arranged for the students at Hogwarts. The first years had an introductory text on the subject, written by Professor McGonagal of all people. Professor Jordan had the utmost respect for the former Headmistress and Gryffindor. Professor Jordan purchased several copies of each book to have on hand in case a student needed a copy.<br/><br/>Regarding the textbooks, it was the sixth year students he was most concerned about. They required two textbooks. The first covered Transformation and Vanishment spells. These subjects covered both human and inanimate object transformations, including animagi and werewolves. The second text, which covered Conjuration, and Untransfiguration were covered in the second semester after the Christmas break. Conjuration was a N.E.W.T level course and would require the focus of the students in this class. The sixth year students would be subjected to a strict regimen of conjuration spells come January and February. They would be drilled repeatedly on them for two whole months so they would be committed to memory.<br/><br/>At Madam Malkin's Robe Shop, Tyre looked over the variety of wizarding wear. He found a black twill robe with a silk green lining, he really enjoyed. The Slytherin house crest emblazoned upon the chest. He chose one with the house crest as well as one without. He also found a lime green vest, bright and colorful intended to be worn beneath the robe adding a hint of vivacity to an otherwise stodgy professor.<br/><br/>After each of his purchases, Tyre cast a transfiguration spell reducing their size to roughly that of a galleon. Each item placed carefully in a paper bag, he carried. Instead of teleporting them to a distant location like his flat or  Hogwarts office, he believed it was safer just to make them smaller and carry them on his person.<br/><br/>Professor Jordan's final stop was Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour where he and Charles Leslie enjoyed a frozen treat. Professor Jordan preferred a hot fudge sundae, while Bonnie Prince Charlie leaned toward a caramel flavor to whet the palette. On his way back to<span style="font-style: italic">The Leaky Cauldron</span>Professor Jordan passed one of his sixth year students, Martin Girard with his family. Tyre attempted not to make eye contact, but the young man exercised initiative, "Good morning, Professor Jordan."<br/><br/>Tyre felt obligated to respond, viewing the entire Girard clan, he smiled congenially and nodded his head without a word.<br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Martin Girard</span></span><br/>"Well he appears to be quite cheerful this morning," Jacob Girard sarcastically uttered about Professor Jordan as the family passed Hogwarts' Transfiguration teacher.<br/><br/>"Not too unlike Professor McGonagal if you ask me," Philip Girard stated. "She always seemed to have a sour puss plastered on her face and was very serious about her work. I imagine your professor Jordan is comparatively similar to the late headmistress."<br/><br/>Jacob and Martin shared glances, not wanting to contradict their father. Meredith acted as though she could not hear her father and brother's conversation. She was automatically drawn to the recent publications in the bookstore, vigilantly searching for this year's best selling fiction novels. The family made the rounds to the various shops gathering supplies for the upcoming school year, books, robes, magical items, pets, and other sundries including candies, and the odd joke shop item at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.<br/><br/>Inside the store, Jacob and Martin conversed briefly with Ronald Weasley. They may not have known who the man was or what his reputation regarding Hogwarts was. They acted as though he were just another middle-aged wizard in Diagon Alley.<br/><br/>Upon leaving the shop, their father asked the boys what<span style="font-style: italic">Mr. Weasley</span>said to them.<br/><br/>"He answered some questions about Ten Second Pimple Vanishers and he asked us about school this semester," Martin responded to his father.<br/><br/>"You do know who that was, right?"<br/><br/>"Yes, of course, Mr. Weasley," Jacob interjected.<br/><br/>"Naturally, you are correct, son. That man was Ronald Weasley, the auror. He is close friends with Mr. Harry Potter. They shared many exciting adventures at Hogwarts including defeating,<span style="font-style: italic">You know who</span>in mortal combat." Philip spoke as if Lord Voldemort still existed and could drop in on them at any moment. Some habits are hard to break.<br/><br/>Jacob and Martin looked at one another. Then Martin asked the question, "Who is<span style="font-style: italic">You Know Who</span>?"<br/><br/>"Right, he was a certain dark wizard who was responsible for the deaths of many during the second wizarding war abut twenty years ago. You really should read up on recent history of Hogwarts and our wizarding community in general. That man is very famous." Philip became excited when he saw Mr. Weasley or Mr. Potter for that matter. Mr. Girard was more than a few years older than these two aurors, but respected their reputations nonetheless.<br/><br/>The family finished their shopping and made their final stop at the ice cream parlour before heading back home to Penrith. Martin had not received an owl from Leandra and was concerned about her. Maybe he would receive a letter from her later in the day.