Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Waver Gets It

The Mages Association is the premier organization of magical learning and study in the entire world, to which the great majority of magi and their relatives aspire to one day become part of. So much so, in fact, that the organization functions as the de facto governing or at least, regulatory body, of most of the supernatural world, with only the Holy Church even coming close to matching its influence.

The Mages Association is divided into three branches. There is the Clock Tower, based in London. There is Atlas, based in the Atlas Mountains of Egypt. And there is the Wandering Sea, also known as Estray, currently located somewhere in the North Sea off the European coast.

Of those three branches, the Clock Tower is perhaps the most well-known and influential, possessing as it does the de jure head and deputy of the organization as a whole, specifically the Director and Vice-Director of the Mages Association. The former post has been held by the same person ever since the founding of the Clock Tower some time prior to the birth of Christ (and who is suspected to not even be Human at all), while the latter has traditionally been held by a member of the venerable and nigh-omnipotent Barthomeloi family of magi.

The Clock Tower itself is divided into twelve departments, thirteen if one counts the College of Law. There is the Department of General Fundamentals, wherein majority of members stay for five years before either leaving or moving to more specialized departments, though it is not unknown for some to permanently remain with General Fundamentals.

Then there is the Department of Individual Fundamentals, the Department of Spiritual Invocation, the Department of Mineralogy, the Department of Zoology, the Department of Anthropology, the Department of Botany, the Department of Celestial Body, the Department of Creation, the Department of Curse, the Department of Archaeology, and the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories. Each of them is led by a lord, who in turn is related to or vassalized to one of the great magi lineages, who despite making up a minority of the members of the organization, jealously gather and guard nearly all real power within.

One such lord is one Waver El-Melloi II, adopted elder brother and representative of Reines El-Melloi Archisorte. The current head of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories, despite his low birth and limited magical potential, he is generally considered to be the greatest instructor of the age, whose real talent lies in identifying and honing the potential of his students to a fine edge. So much so, that despite Modern Magecraft Theories being considered a place for odds and ends to be dumped into prior to his assuming its leadership, in the aftermath has gained great respectability and influence, a place that shines bright with talent despite the condescension of elder lords and bloodlines, and one which many claim has restored the tarnished luster and magnificence of the Clock Tower despite the advancing years of the Age of Man, and the decline of mystery it brings.

"Hey, over here."

"…hey, what's up?"

A pair of students in the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories stopped walking down a corridor, and approached a group of their peers clustered around an Apple laptop in an out of the way corner. Excited whispering broke out, the gathered magi sneaking looks down the corridor to where their esteemed department head was holding an impromptu study session with a number of pretty young ladies.

They were all smiles and laughter, even if Lord El-Melloi II didn't share their enthusiasm, clear to the point and objective as he quickly evaluated their papers, offered sharp criticism and helpful advice, and drove them home with subtle encouragement. Airheaded young women being airheaded young women of course, meant it made the man even more…desirable, in their eyes.

Well, it wasn't as though Lord El-Melloi II was in any way unhandsome. More than that, he was a tall and well-built man…and women loved tall and well-built men. He was classy too, with that red coat of his over an expensively-tailored business ensemble that just screamed 'professional man with a good career and bright future', and his long hair that grew past his shoulders.

And while he did smoke, he didn't smoke cheap cigarettes. He smoked Havana, gold-wrapped cigars.

Tall…handsome…good career…bright future…and classy…

…how could anyone resist?

Not just airheaded young women…but even some young men found themselves questioning their…sexuality, before the man.

"Are we really going to do this?" One magus asked.

"Come on." Another magus said with an elbow to the former. "It's going to be funny."

"Classic comedy, even." A third said with a snicker.

"Look! Here he comes!" a fourth said with a nod in Waver's direction.

"…is it ready?" the third magus asked.

"It's ready." The fourth magus answered.

A fifth magus gave a cough. "Excuse me," he began, raising a hand to catch Waver's attention. "Lord El-Melloi II? Can you spare us a minute?"

Waver glanced at them neutrally, and then approached with a sigh. "What is it?" he asked. "Do you need something?"

"We were working on a presentation for later," the fourth magus began. "It's just that we're not yet used to working with computers so…can we ask your opinion on what we've got?"

"…okay, let's have a look." Waver agreed after only a moment's thought.

A key was pressed on the laptop, and a presentation began to play. It seemed fairly well-made, simple intro followed by a quick summary, and then…

Never gonna give you up

Never gonna let you down

Never gonna run around and desert you

Waver's face shot up from the screen red with rage and humiliation as his students started laughing around him. "Fucking damn it!" he thundered with clenched fists. "Turn it off!"

Never gonna make you cry

Never gonna say goodbye

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

"I SAID TURN IT OFF, GOD DAMN IT!"

The video turned off, and Waver started ranting. "You little morons are falling behind on the curriculum, but you've got the nerve to pump me with one of the stupidest jokes on the internet?" he raged. "If you have the time to do this, why don't you spend that same time on your studies, you idiots? So stop wasting time, and get serious!"

"Oh, what's all this?" a feminine voice asked behind Waver, and he whirled to find his little sister behind him with a small smile, flanked by Grey and Volumen Hydragyrum.

Waver made to speak only to be beaten to the punch by one of his students. "Lord El-Melloi II doesn't appreciate classic comedy, ma'am." He said, only to cry out in pain as one of his friends elbowed him while another shoved the back of his head.

"Really? That sounds very interesting." Reines said with arms crossed over her chest. "Big brother, I'll handle this."

Reines made a shooing gesture, and Waver gave his students one last glare before stomping off. Reines followed him with her eyes, and then turned back to the apprehensive students. "Now then," she began. "Tell me more."

Waver grumbled as he made his way to his sister's office, having received summons from her to attend to her on a matter of great importance. Approaching the great, double doors, he knocked a couple of times, and pushed them open to an inviting response from within. Entering, Waver as usual fought back the urge to wince and even cower at the massive, floor-to-ceiling portrait of the late Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald with had been positioned (deliberately, he suspected) behind Reines' desk.

Imposing in all his aristocratic glory, Waver couldn't help but wonder at how Kayneth would react if he ever found out he – Waver – was now technically a part of his family. Their relationship had never been…cordial, to say the least.

"Ah, Waver." Reines said from behind her desk. "Come…I need your help with something."

"Something…is that a computer?"

"A…laptop, I believe it is called." Reines admitted. "I…requisitioned it, from one of your students earlier. Pure curiosity, nothing more of course. For lesser scions such as them it may be…tolerable, for them to use such…implements, of the modern age, but for ones such as ourselves…we must have standards."

"…oh really?" Waver deadpanned as he approached, walking around the desk to stand next to Reines on her seat.

"Indeed," Reines said with a small smile. "As I said, mere curiosity, nothing more. It is, after all, something of a novelty, that much I cannot deny. I merely wish to have a…glimpse, of why that is so."

"…alright…what do you want to know?" Waver conceded with a sigh.

Reines responded by pulling up a video manual and playing it. "I was attempting to…understand, the instruction manual for this, but…" she said only to trail off.

"…which part are you having trouble…" Waver began to say only to break off abruptly as familiar music began to play.

Never gonna give you up

Never gonna let you down

Never gonna run around and desert you

Never gonna make you cry

Never gonna say goodbye

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Reines started laughing, clutching at her stomach while falling back into her seat, Waver frozen at her desk and staring at the screen. "Oh…oh…that was good…classic comedy indeed!" she gushed. "Your…students…they're absolutely brilliant!"

As Reines continued to laugh, Waver felt his knees give way, and he began to pound his head against the wood of Reines' desk.

Good God…what did I do to deserve this?

A/N

Sorry…I couldn't help it XD

ROFL at Waver getting rick-rolled…TWICE! And Reines even joins in at the end.