"I don't know, children. Be careful on your way out. Peeves just put another coat of lubricant on the third step."
Brian answered with a smile and a change of subject. "Or you could hold on to your friends' hands and play on the steps for a while."
Considering that the students needed a carefree Christmas holiday, he and several other professors had agreed not to tell them yet that Moody was coming to teach at Hogwarts.
Everyone at the meeting, including Dumbledore himself, had thought it would be better to let the students meet Moody in person at the assembly after the holidays.
"-Albus, you can make the announcement when the time comes. Alastor is your old friend, and you were the one who decided to hire him."
Professor McGonagall said, looking rather troubled,
"I'm sure the students will be delighted to crowd around you, eyes wide, bouncing up and down and chattering away."
"Certainly, Minerva. Don't worry. When the time comes, Alastor will clear up all their questions quite cheerfully and easily with his magical eye."
Dumbledore said with a smile,
"No one can beat him at a staring contest. That eye can go three hours without blinking, and it doesn't get dry at all."
"Oh, playing games on a trap?" The excited students rushed toward the doors. "Great idea! We're off!"
Before long, Brian heard the students cry out as they fell, followed by their bickering. "Hey, why did you suddenly let go?" "Never mind that, run! Peeves is coming with water balloons!" "No, Peeves-no! (A burst of wild laughter from Peeves.) Ah! Aaah-well, I think we've still got twenty minutes for a hot shower."
When Brian went to clean up the scene, Peeves hurled a water balloon at him from his hiding place. Just as on