Yogwarts

The swamp

Professors Zoey and Fiona apparate to a secluded area in the middle of a desert, the only landmark for miles, a large walled off oasis, happens to be just a few meters away. The walls are several meters high, made of sandstone, and serves as the barrier between the harsh desert and a lush tropical forest, complete with it's own flowing river and an enormous tree easily visible even from over the impressively tall wall. Zoey walks up to a small door in the side of the wall and knocks twice. Although she doesn't knock very hard the sound echoes around as if she had struck a massive drum. A few seconds after, the door is flung open by a moderately tall blonde man. He wears a black strip of cloth tied around his forehead, keeping his hair out of his face, a green t-shirt with a swirling symbol on the front, denim pants that don't reach his ankles, sandals, and an oversized forest green cloak.
"Zoey?" He says incredulously. "Oh my gosh, Zoey! I haven't seen you in ages." He immediately sweeps her into a bear hug, which she eagerly reciprocates.
"Martyn! It's been too long!" Zoey exclaims. They release each other from the hug and look at each other.
"Oh, you look just the same." Zoey notices.
"I'll take that as a compliment." He chuckles, earning a similar laugh from her. A small cough is heard from behind them, and they notice Fiona awkwardly standing close by.
"Oh, yes! Martyn, this is my girlfriend, Fiona. She took over your position in Muggle studies after you left." Zoey introduces. Martyn and Fiona shake hands.
"Of course, hello Fiona. Well, come in you two. Don't want you two baking out here in this heat." He ushers the two women through the doorway and into the refreshing tropical climate. He leads them between trees in a twisting, seemingly untravelled path, up to the very largest tree. A doorway is imbedded in the base of the tree, revealing it to be mostly hollow, and a ladder inside ascends to the very top of the tree. Martyn quickly heads up the ladder, informing his guests to follow, and they soon reach a disheveled yet comfortable looking loft nestled in the canopy. The branches of the tree are used to naturally construct the irregularly shaped room, with the width between the floor and ceiling or any opposite walls not being the same in any two places. The carpet is made out of lush grass, even though they are far above any sort of soil, and the room is lit by the perfect amount of sunlight filtering in from the leafy ceiling. The room itself has collections of unique furniture in various places, with several different "rooms" without any need for walls. The sitting area consists of three chairs, none of them similar to each other, and a small, ornate table. That area seamlessly transitions into the dining area, with a large oval table is surrounded by several more unique chairs, most being somewhere between chairs and stools while a few were closer to thrones. After that was a bedroom with a king size bed, topped with several pillows and blankets, but in place of a bed frame is a large hammock, secured to the ceiling with four thick vines. Just beyond the sleeping area is a balcony with a gorgeous view of the oasis, with golden sunlight shining through the opening, illuminating the objects nearest to it and casting shadows behind them. Zoey lets out a small gasp, being previously unaware that a loft could look this beautiful.
"It's amazing." She breathes. Martyn looks the tiniest bit confused.
"Yeah? I haven't noticed too much. I've spent a lot of time up here while I was little, and one gets used to things when you spend two years here on your own." He says simply. He guides them over to the sitting area and they all have a seat.
"Speaking of on my own, how've things been at Hogwarts whilst I've been away?" He asks excitedly.
"Well, Fiona's gotten a job, but you already knew that. Duncan's still the head of Ravenclaw, despite Ryth's best efforts. Hufflepuff's been having trouble getting a new head, at first it was Sjin, but Nilesy just replaced him..." Zoey tells.
"Nilesy? Head of Hufflepuff? Oh man, that's great! I knew he had it in him!" Martyn laughs.
"And on a more important note," Fiona interrupts. "Hogwarts is in danger, as is most of wizard kind and you. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Israphel is back." Martyn's face falls, shifting suddenly from nostalgia into fear.
"B-but he can't, he can't be!" He stutters. "My dad always told me of how he was defeated, Lewis and Simon, they killed him, he's dead, he has to be!"
"I'm really sorry, Martyn, but he is back, and we need to get you back to Hogwarts where you'll be safe." Zoey says.
"Why wouldn't I be safe? What's he got against me? I'm just a teacher, not even that anymore!"
"Well, you are pretty powerful for a teacher, not to mention the only son of Swampy Bogbeard who was an enemy of... him. And also he might come and try to destroy the swamp, just for revenge or something." Zoey explains.
"Well, if he is back, and he's coming to destroy the swamp, I have to stay and protect it. It's my father's life's work and I cant just leave it to be burned down, not after all the work the both of us put into it!"
"It's not just that, Martyn, we need you to come back and help us take Israphel down, for good." Fiona pleads. Martyn considers this for a few moments, weighing the importance of joining the fight against protecting his home.
"Okay, if you guys really need my help." He decides. Zoey represses the urge to be gleeful in this moment, knowing it was a difficult decision for him and he might change his mind, also a situation like this was no time to be giddy. She simply smiles and says,
"Good to have you on board, Martyn." Her and Fiona wait outside on the balcony while he packs a small white satchel with the essentials. Once he is fully packed he meets them on the balcony and takes a few moments to look over the swamp, hoping with every fiber of his being that he would see it again. Then he simply nods to Zoey and the three of them apparate back to Hogwarts.