A little bit of trouble

Julian looked shocked.

"Class Captain gets to go where she likes," he announced. "When she likes."

"I guess you two will have to go celebrate without her."

He did that expression a person gets when they're trying to look like they're sad for someone but they're really not sad at all. God, how he loved messing with people.

He could have asked the kids why they were out after curfew, but it was pretty obvious and he didn't really care. Probably Gwen would have, he got the impression she didn't want anything really bad to happen, but she wasn't here right now.

Kasey couldn't hide the look of joy that crossed her face upon hearing the professor's words. So basically she had a free pass to go wherever whenever she wanted? It was practically a dream come true for an adventurous soul like her.

Kasey turned to Leo and Scarlett, "Guess I'll see you guys back at the dorms" she said clearly pleased about her new privileges. She saw no reason why she couldn't explore the corridor on her own now and simply tell the others about it later. After ppall Julian seemed perfectly certain about her being able to wander around and Kasey figured in the chance that he was stirring trouble (which was entirely possible) she could simply put the blame back on him. Kasey smiled at the professor, "Thanks for the badge professor" she said already backing towards the corridor eager to continue her exploration.

The moment Julian told Kasey she had privileges to go wherever whenever she wanted warning bells went off in Leo's head. Something was definitely wrong about that and while Kasey was perfectly happy to go wandering on her own Leo was no where near okay with it. He had seen his sister stumble blindly into enough bad situations to see how horribly this could end.

Leo frowned frustrated with the situation. Kasey obtaining a class captain position worked in contradiction with one of his main goals- to look after her. And Julian's encouragement really did not help the situation. "Yeah nice try Kasey. I may not have a badge but like I'm just going to let you wander around alone" Leo said moving after his sister quiet clearly waiting to see if Julian would stop him. Leo didn't think he would, but sometimes you never knew.

Aw yeah.  This was working perfectly.

"Sorry dude," Julian did not look sorry, as he stepped between Kasey and her brother, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You can try an' get her to go back with ya, but I can't let you wander around after curfew."

Didn't these scrawny brats realise how nice Julian was being, not cursing their toes off for being out after dark in the first place?  

"But like, I don't think she's gonna be that persuadable."

He'd definitely chosen the right girl.

Leo glared at Julian as he rested a hand on his shoulder and gripped his wand tighter wanting to wipe the not so sorry look off the professors face. And for a moment Leo put considerable thought into what hex would work best against the deputy headmaster.

"Leo don't be an idiot" Kasey rolled her eyes from behind Julian, "Surely you can handle spending some time alone with Scarlett?" She teased. Leo frowned not making the connection between Kasey's teasing and spending time with Scarlett, but her suggestion did bring another idea to his mind.

"Fine" Leo said and pulled his shoulder out from beneath the professors hand. "Come on Scarlett, let's go" he said and began to walk back the way they had come. There was more then one way to the corridor and Leo fully intended to sneak back to look for Kasey. All he had to do was pretend to go back to the common area for now.

Scarlett's eyebrows flew up at his words, unsure how any of this was okay with the professors. Surely they didn't like the idea of students roaming around? It didn't seem to matter, though, because Kasey seemed thrilled despite the fact that they all knew something was off. Although, for an instant, she considered the fact that she would have time alone with Leo and that it was very rare for such a thing to happen, it hardly changed facts.

Kasey had agreed to go off without them.

A deep frown took her features, and when Leo beckoned for her to follow, she didn't fight him. As soon as she could be sure they were out of earshot, she said what he was probably already thinking.

"We aren't going back to the common room. As crap as it is that she left us, something isn't right. She could get into some kind of trouble at this rate," she mused aloud, glancing over her shoulder and crossing her arms over her chest as they walked.

Leo nodded as Scarlett spoke, "I know but Milton wasn't going to let us go with her so we'll just have to double back" he said in response a clear layer of concern in his voice. He still couldn't work out why Professor Fawcett would give Kasey a captain position and what's more couldn't understand what Milton might get out of giving Kasey the position if it hadn't been under Fawcett's orders. "I just hope she doesn't do anything too senseless before we get back to her" He sighed shoving his hands in his pockets.

As they approached the common area Leo glanced over his shoulder checking they weren't being followed and then gestures to a small hall off to the left, "down there and to the right. It's probably the fastest way back" he told Scarlett, though he wasn't sure why. She had being in the school as long as he had and been on enough night adventures to already know the way back.

Kasey watched her brother and friend leave and grinned. Right! Time to go find out what was up with all these funky lanterns. She looks at the Professor, honestly she would prefer to do her exploring without him around which meant she would have to go find another corridor. "Well thanks again for the badge Professor" Kasey said no longer caring that the position she had been given was odd. She was far to distracted with the new privileges her position granted to care.

Kasey turns and walks further into the school. There were a handful of other corridors that had experienced the same flickering lantern problem and so Kasey headed towards the next closest one as she tucked her wand away no longer feeling the need to have it out. They had just seen a professor emerge form the darkness after all, so she doubted anything in it would harm her.