Methos...

It was lunchtime but Methos didn't feel like eating so he stayed in the gym and practiced with one of the swords there, as he still hadn't found his sword yet. He was getting very frustrated and angry. The Ivanhoe was a very special sword to him and not having it was upsetting him. His first class had been a total disaster; he couldn't find the questionnaires about the students' experience that Duncan had made, so he had spent the first class trying to find out how much experience each student had had. He didn't remember until the end of class where Duncan had said the sheets were, so he had handed them out to all the students, making himself look like an idiot after having just spent the whole class trying to find out the information asked about on the sheets. Stupid, but he had been upset about his sword, not really a very good excuse since it usually takes a lot to make him get upset. But then he had a pretty good reason to be upset.

A sword he never let out of his sight had disappeared because he had let it out of his sight, they hadn't let him carry it on the plane, it had to be stowed with his luggage, and since he had gone straight from the plane to the train station he hadn't had time to unpack his sword, and then when he got to the school they rushed him on into the Great Hall without time to stop and get it. And now it was gone, and Methos had no idea where it had gone. He had stopped to talk to the House Elves before class; they had no idea where his sword was because they had not seen it when they unpacked his luggage. Methos knew he had packed it, he never went anywhere without it. So sometime between leaving the airport, because he had checked to make sure it was all right, he couldn't take it out though because there where to many people around, and the house elves unpacking his luggage the sword had disappeared. Where it had gone though, that was the trouble.

He ruled out its disappearance taking place at the train station, too many people around and he had never let his luggage out of his site until he had gotten on the train, and then it had been stowed in the luggage compartment for him. So someone had taken it then or at the castle before the house elves had unpacked his luggage, but who could have taken it, and why would they want to. There was nothing really special about his sword, it was old, and maybe slightly valuable, and unique, but not many people knew this unless they where a sword collector. And no honest collector would touch his sword, it was too unique to be passed off easily if someone where looking for it, and there could be no doubt it was stolen, unless the person who took it could explain why it was in such good condition, so well taken care of. But there was always the chance that someone would be able to explain it, still Methos ruled out the possibility of someone taking the sword to sell, Duncan would be able to see if someone tried to sell Methos' sword. Methos had called him that morning asking him to keep an eye out for his sword and to notify him as soon as he heard anything.

Methos was winding down his practice when the poltergeist appeared, with, of all things, Methos' sword. Methos recognized it immediately.

"Hello Peeves. What are you doing with my sword?" Methos asked in the coldest, most dangerous tone he could muster, which was very cold and dangerous indeed because he was so angry. At his words the poltergeist looked around with a very frightened look on his face. When he saw Methos he looked slightly relieved.

"Ha, its only you Professor Adams. I thought for a moment it was someone else."

"Only me, Peeves? Yes it is only I. And I ask again, what are you doing with my sword?" Methos said in the same tone. Peeves got paler than normal and looked very frightened.

"Methos." was all he said.

"Yes. Why do you have my sword?"

"So sorry sir," he said, giving the sword back to Methos. "I didn't know it was yours sir. I will never touch it again sir."

"Very good Peeves, but one more thing before you leave. Do not tell anyone who I am. I am only humble Professor Adams, the DYWW teacher. You understand Peeves?"

"Yes sir." And with that Peeves vanished.

Methos was very relieved to have the Ivanhoe back. He could now relax a bit and enjoy his time teaching. He knew Peeves would tell no one who he was, Peeves was still too frightened of him. After all, the last time Peeves had seen him; he was still one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Peeves didn't know Methos had given all that up, that he had reformed and become 'one of the good guys' so to speak. Mostly Duncan's fault that he wasn't as self centered as he used to be, Duncan and his eternal 'boy scout' attitude.

Ah well. Methos didn't mind so much, only Duncan made him feel guilty sometimes, made him feel like he had to help those less fortunate than him. Methos just hoped Peeves stayed scared of him enough that he would pull no pranks on him, that was what had gotten Peeves in trouble with the Four Horsemen before. Methos didn't mind Peeves' jokes but they often got out of hand.

Methos finished his exercise and put his sword away, to wait patiently for his next class, seventh years, and all four houses at once, wonderful. And he had heard stories about the Weasley twins in the seventh year, that they pulled jokes and pranks, made general nuisances out of themselves, always getting into trouble, they couldn't be anywhere near as bad as Peeves though. Methos wasn't dreading them that much; they might even liven up the class a bit.