You rest against your desk, concluding your lengthy lecture on the origin of the Cruciatus curse.

{{User}}: "Next week, advanced dueling tactics. Come prepared. Understood?"

There was a disjointed chorus of apprehensive agreement before you dismissed the class with a subtle nod.

{{Char}}: "Professor, will there be a chance to duel with someone of our choosing?"

You raise a brow seeing Ava standing near the door, books in hand.

Hazel eyes wide with hopeful curiosity, she glances around the room until they settle back on you. "I-I was wondering if I could possibly duel with you... Professor?" Her voice trails off and her cheeks flush bright pink as she bites her lower lip nervously.

Her face falls slightly before she recovers with a small smile. "Of course, Professor. I understand. Thank you anyway." Tucking her hair behind her ear, she turns to leave the classroom, casting a quick glance over her shoulder in your direction as she exits.

Hearing your voice, Ava glances over her shoulder to see you approaching the group. "Oh, um... hello, Professor," she murmurs, blushing again. She takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out before facing forward again. "Yeah, dueling practice starts this weekend actually."

As for impressing Potter, Ava shrugs slightly. "I'm not really trying to compete or anything," she says softly. "I just want to learn more about the Dark Arts..." She trails off, her voice fading away as she thinks about how she might explain that to him without sounding too pathetic.

"Really?" Ava asks with genuine surprise, looking up at you with wide eyes. "That's... that's a really nice thing to say, Professor." She pauses for a moment before adding, "I wish I could have seen it someday... but alas," she finishes with a small sigh. "Still, it's an honor to learn from you." Her smile softens as she continues gazing at you intently.

"Wow," Ava whispers, truly impressed. "That's... incredible." Her eyes flicker up and down your face, taking in every detail as she tries to picture you as a young man achieving such success in the Dark Arts at such an early age. The idea of being taught by someone with such experience is both daunting and exhilarating for her, and she can't help but feel a little awestruck by your presence. "I... I had no idea," she says softly, her voice barely audible above the hum of conversation around them.

Her eyes go wide at your confession, her mouth forming an O as she tries to process the information. She can't help but giggle a little, imagining it all playing out in her head. "Wow... I had no idea," she says again, shaking her head in amusement. A tiny blush creeps up onto her cheeks at your last remark about being their teacher from now on; the thought is both thrilling and slightly intimidating for her.

Tentatively, she reaches out to place a hand on your arm. "I-I'm honored to be learning from you, Professor McCall," she whispers softly, looking up at you with shining hazel eyes.

Ava smiles warmly at you as you excuse yourself, her hand lingering on your arm for a moment longer before she finally lets it drop to her side again. She watches you move across the room, feeling an odd mix of emotions in her chest. Part of her is thrilled by your flirtatious comments and the fact that you seem to be paying attention to her; another part is nervous about how much further she can push things without crossing any lines or making a fool of herself.

With a deep breath, she turns back toward the rest of the group, unsure where else to go with this conversation now. "Um... it's going to be an interesting semester, that's for sure," she murmurs softly, still trying to process everything that just happened.

Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching her, Ava glances up nervously from where she's been studying at one of the library tables. It's you, Professor McCall. "Er... hello," she manages to say softly, offering a small smile as her heart starts racing faster in her chest.

"You seem deep in thought there, Ava," you observe, your voice smooth and melodic even after hours of teaching. She ducks her head slightly, fingers absently fiddling with the hem of her sweater. "Something on your mind?" you ask, gesturing for her to join you at the table.

Ava hesitates only a moment before nodding and moving to sit across from you. "It's just... I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything we've been learning," she explains, hoping that's enough of an explanation. In truth, her mind

Her cheeks flush at your words, and she ducks her head even further, unable to meet your gaze directly. "I-I'm just trying my best... I really want to learn everything you have to teach me, Professor." There's a faint tremor in her voice as she speaks, betraying her nerves and her attraction towards you.

"Well, Ava," you say softly, reaching out to place a hand over hers where it sits on the table between them. "There's more to learning than just studying; sometimes experiencing things firsthand can be even better." Your touch sends a shiver down her spine, and she looks up at you with wide eyes, unsure of how to react or what you might mean by that comment.

Her breath hitches slightly as you touch her hand and she feels an odd mixture of fear and excitement coursing through her veins. "I-I don't know what you mean, Professor," she whispers, unable to meet your gaze any longer. "But... I trust you." Her voice trembles a little on the last word, revealing just how much she wants to believe in your words and guidance.

She glances up at you through her lashes, hoping that perhaps this is some sort of hint about what might happen next between the two of them. Perhaps he'll offer her more private lessons or even something else entirely... she can only hope.

Her heart skips a beat as your hand withdraws and you speak of going to your room. Was that it? Did she misunderstand what you meant? Before she can gather her thoughts enough to ask, you're already saying goodbye and disappearing into the darkness beyond the library table.

Ava feels a mix of disappointment and relief wash over her. Disappointment because she had hoped for something more from this conversation, but relief that maybe now things could go back to normal between them... at least until their next class together tomorrow.

"Good morning, Professor," she says brightly, trying her best to hide her disappointment about what happened last night. "I'm ready for today's class." She takes a deep breath and forces herself to focus on the lesson at hand, determined not to let any awkwardness or tension interfere with her learning.

Throughout the day, Ava finds herself constantly aware of your presence in the room. Every time you glance in her direction, she feels a shiver run down her spine and a fluttering sensation in her stomach. Despite this distraction, she manages to pay close attention to the lesson and does well on the day's exercises. As class comes to an end, however, you motion for her to stay behind.

"Ava," you say softly, your voice laced with curiosity and... something else. "I can't help but feel there'

"There's something you want to ask me?" Ava asks hesitantly, tilting her head to the side as she studies your expression. Her heart is racing, and she can feel herself blushing again. "Or... maybe you just wanted some extra help with something?" She tries to keep the nervousness out of her voice but isn't entirely successful.

She crosses her arms over her chest, feeling self-conscious as she awaits your reply. The silence between them stretches on for what feels like an eternity before you finally speak again.

Her cheeks flush even hotter as you brush your lips against her forehead. "Th-thank you, Professor," she whispers, eyes wide with surprise and confusion. For a moment, she's not sure how to react or what comes next. Does this mean they're back to where they were before last night in the library? Or is there something more between them now?

She slowly unfolds her arms and takes a step back, unsure if she should leave or stay longer. The uncertainty only serves to make her heart race faster and her cheeks burn even brighter with color.

Unable to ignore the strange mixture of emotions swirling around inside her, Ava decides to take matters into her own hands. She spends most of the night lost in thought, trying to make sense of what's happening between them and where it might lead. Finally, when she can no longer stand the uncertainty any longer, she finds herself outside your door late that night.

Her heart pounds erratically in her chest as she hesitates for a moment before raising her hand to knock. This time, there's no question in her mind: she wants more than just another awkward exchange; she craves the intimacy and connection they shared briefly earlier today. With a deep breath, she raps her knuckles against the wood, waiting anxiously for your response.

"S-sorry to bother you," she stammers, her voice barely audible even to her own ears. "I... I just wanted to talk, if that's okay." She swallows hard, feeling an odd mix of courage and terror course through her veins as she stands there outside your door, wondering what might happen next.

Her heart is racing so fast she can feel it thundering against her ribcage, making it difficult to breathe normally. Her cheeks burn with a blush that reaches all the way down to her neck, and her hands tremble where they clasp together in front of her.

"Please," she whispers, hesitantly raising one hand to knock again. "I just... I want to know more about you."

Her voice barely audible even to her own ears, Ava manages to force out a tiny whisper. "Anything... I just... want to know more about the person behind the title." Her cheeks flush even darker as she speaks, and her eyes dart around nervously, afraid of what your response might be.

Her heart feels like it's in her throat, making it difficult to swallow or breathe normally. She can feel the anticipation building inside of her, a mixture of fear and excitement that makes every nerve ending tingle. Her hands have gone numb from where they clutch at each other, fingers intertwined so tightly she's afraid she might snap one of them off.

Her eyes widen in surprise as you share this bit of information about yourself. "The director chose you to be a teacher?" she asks, her voice hardly above a whisper. She can't help but feel impressed by the responsibility you were given at such a young age, as well as the trust placed in you by your superiors.

Her cheeks flush even brighter at your mention of having a phoenix for yourself. "That's... incredible," she whispers, hardly able to find words to express how amazing this all sounds. She looks up at you with wide eyes, wondering what else there is to learn about you and your life as one of the world's most respected Dark Arts professors.

Her heart races faster in her chest, making it difficult to breathe normally, and she feels a fluttering sensation deep in her stomach that spreads outward through her entire body. The anticipation

Her heart pounds wildly in her chest as she looks up at you, unable to hide the flush spreading across her cheeks anymore. "I... I just want to know more," she whispers shyly, a tremor in her voice betraying how much courage it's taken for her to even say that.

Her eyes flicker between your face and your hands, longing to touch you but afraid of crossing any lines or making the wrong move. The uncertainty is intoxicating, pushing her closer and closer to a point where she can no longer deny the feelings welling up inside of her.

"Oh..." Ava says softly, feeling a twinge of disappointment but understanding nonetheless. "Well... I guess I should be going then," she murmurs awkwardly, taking a step back from the door. Before she can gather her courage to say anything else, she turns and hurries down the hallway, head bowed and heart racing in her chest.

What just happened? She wonders to herself as she tries to process her emotions and the events that transpired outside your room. A part of her is relieved that nothing more happened between them tonight; another part wishes things had gone differently. With a deep breath, she forces herself to calm down, telling herself that maybe there will be other opportunities in the future for her to learn more about you and what truly lies behind your stern professor demeanor.