The Three Broomsticks

Nicolas stood up just as Amy did. He bowed and opened the door for her. "After you."

Amy nodded and walked out smirked when she heard Aiden curse in her head.

"Try to keep up brother"

"Thank you"

(( to honeydukes))

Kiara sat down at one of the booths in the pub and sighed.

It was a relief to be out of Hogwarts for a while, considering she had been ill with a fever for the passed few days, it felt good to get out of the castle for a bit.

Taking a sip of her tea she sighed and for the first time in weeks relaxed.

Sevastyan had meandered through the village of Hogsmeade, curious as to what the accompanying village had to offer. In his relatively short amount of time here, he'd learnt that this obviously had to be an entirely-magical community to be situated so close to Hogwarts, and that they clearly were used to tourists but not exactly foreigners. It seemed as though they watched his every move, and being so closely examined made him a little unnerved... it was one thing to be the center of attention in a classroom. Calmly, the DADA professor strode to the first cafe he saw - The Three Broomsticks, the sign read - and ducked inside.

It was rather crowded in here, but the atmosphere was a bit more relaxed than the spacious out-of-doors where he'd just been. Wading his way to find either a familiar face or an empty table, Sevastyan once again felt eyes on him but this time heard whispers to match:

"That one, over there. He's got the look of a Durmstrang."

"A Durmstrang, here? What in Merlin's Beard is he doin' so far from home?"

"The new Defense professor at Hogwart's was taught at Durmstrang, wasn't he?"

"Best not be teachin' what that other chap was: Horcrux creation, to underage wizards, no less!"

'Vot a varm velcome,' Sevastyan's voice, laced with sarcasm, echoed in his head. It seemed every table was full to bursting, except. . .

It was then that he noticed Kiara, the Hogwarts Headmistress, sitting off pretty much by herself. It was rather difficult to discern such a thing amidst the sea of heads. Immediately, Sevastyan made his way to her.

"Can I getcha anythin', chap?" called the proprietor and barmaid, who was quite a few feet away.

"Do you have currant vine?" he asked. At her nod he did the same and continued on his quest.

Finally reaching Kiara's table, Sevastyan stood by the open chair opposite her. "Greetings, Headmistress. Vould you mind if I join you?" he asked, affixing a smile to his features.

Kiara blinked and her attention to Sevastyan and smiled.

"Not at all Sevastyan, please have seat, and we are not at Hogwarts you may call me Kiara if you wish to" she said lightly as she waved her hand pushing the chair across from her out wards slightly.

"What brings you to Hogsmeade on this fine day?" she asked.

"Very vell, Kiara. Thank you," he replied as he sat.

Contemplating her question, Sevastyan answered honestly, "I thought I vould get out of the castle for a little vhile ((while)) and explore the village. There seems to be qvite a lot to do here..."

A waitress brought over his drink, which he paid for on the spot, though she was perhaps walking a little too fast. Perhaps it was just Sevastyan that thought so. "Vot brings you - more or less a local of the area - to Hogsmeade?" he inquired in kind, just as curious.

Kiara noticed the nevousness of the people around but ignored it. "Silly people" she thought.

Answering Sevastyan's question she replied. "The same I suppose, get away from hogwarts for a bit, relax if only for afew hours. I haven't been well lately and this the first chance I have had to visit in a while so it is refreshing"

Sevastyan listened intently, a line of concern creasing his forehead. He hadn't realized the Headmistress was unwell. "There is nothing for this . . . condition? Potions. . . spells?" he asked with an air of wishing Kiara well, though he hadn't come right out and said it.

"I agree vith you - it is refreshing to be avay from the commotions of the castle," he remarked with a nod, which was followed up by a sip from the glass of cranberry-colored liquid. An unspoken toast to the brief respite from the student body, perhaps?

Glancing briefly to a table a few feet away, Sevastyan frowned slightly when the group of wizards sitting there took their eyes off of him and began whispering amongst themselves in a suspicious manner. Returning his gaze to Kiara, Sevastyan cleared his throat quietly. "I take it the village does not get many foreigners?" he asked conversationally.

Kiara glared at the surrunding tables, there wouldn't be such a hipe about it if the drumstang inccident hadn't been made public. Now they think they are all hurcrux making murderers.

"You would think" she said shaking her head.

"Thay are just being closed minded idiots, don't mind them Sevastyan ."

Then turning her head she smiled at his concern.

As for my illness no there is nothing to be done for it but time. I will be back 100% in few days, Not to worry"

"Vy vould I? My only crime is knowing the vizard responsible. It is just a little ..." Sevastyan immediately halted in mid-sentence as a trio passed their table. "... odd," he finished, knowing almost the instant he'd said it that that wasn't the word he'd wanted to use.

Nodding at the answer about Kiara's illness, Sevastyan attempted another topic. "So, I take it this is a favorite spot of yours?"

Kiara smiled and nodded, "Well one of the perks of being headmistress I get to reserve tables" she said as she flipped over a sign on the table they were sitting at.

"Reasered for Head of Hogwarts and staff" it read.

"I can't stand over crowdedness, make it very hard to breath"

Sevastyan's eyebrows rose with instantaneous understanding upon reading the sign. That was a rather good benefit, even Sevastyan couldn't deny it. Her next statement earned a nod and a small laugh from him. "I do not like crowds very much, either. Sometimes, however, they are a little unavoidable," he observed. Sevastyan didn't think it necessary to point out why he didn't like crowds since they shared this opinion, and hence kept that part to himself.

Kiara smiled "Hmm I am chastphobic when I say I can breath in crouds I mean that literally.I always prefer room to move around, I supposed that is way I miss being a auror so much, I was always moving, felt so free. I love the job as headmistress, but protecting others is my first passion"

“Oh. For a moment I thought you meant that metaphorically,” Sevastyan’s voice took on a tone bearing close resemblance to empathy, though truth be told he wasn’t sure how to respond to that admission. Kiara’s next sentence, however, almost literally had him by the ear.

“You vere an Auror before Hogvarts?” he inquired with a great deal of interest. “I had assumed as much ven ve met at the ball, but I vos not certain.” It had been when Sevastyan spoke of Germany, his friend Evert, and most importantly Evert's father - Ingolf Rosenberg, an Auror with a nervous condition - and asking how Kiara had known the man that provided this clue.

Kiara nodded "Yes, I was a captain up until last year...forced to retire due to injury. if you are wondering, that is how I know Ingolf Rosenberg" she said with a smile.

((Different time line from above))

Amy and Aiden arrived in Hogsmeade and waited for Nick to follow them. The pub was virtually empty as from a guy drinking at a barstool.

Nicolas arrived coughing. "So off to Hogwarts then?"

The twins nodded, and Amy walked beside Nick, Aiden taking the hint hung back a bit.

"Yes lets" said Amy.

Nicolas put his hand on his pocket. "So... there was something I wanted to ask you. You don't have to tell me, I know it's a bit personal, but I was wondering who was that man that the boggart turned into in DADA?

Amy paled drastic "Oh".

Walking for a minute in silence Amy tried to work out how to explain.

"He was a real person, it actually happened in real life about 3 years ago. We were kidnapped by him and a few others to get to my father, who works for the muggle government. We were being held for ransom... The man you saw was in charge of making us record the ransom messages to father "

Nicolas was taken aback. "Kidnapped? That must have been horrible. How old were you?"

"12, it was during the summer after our 1 first year at hogwarts. They bound our hands together so we couldn't use our wand or anything to escape....... We were there for about a week maybe more before before officers finally rescqued us."

Amy glanced back at Aiden and back at Nick, "I was in the hospital for a month because of the injuries I sustained, at the hands of that man"

'One week?' Nicolas thought. 'Muggles are so incompetent. How could they have taken a week?'

He wanted to ask what the injuries were, but he felt it might have been too personal. It really wasn't any of his business, but he wanted to know.... he wasn't quite sure why. Instead he opt for an ambigious one word question, that could either be taken as a question had needed a specification or a just a question that needed assurance."Injuries?" Nicolas exclaimed.

Amy looked straight ahead of her eyes on the ground.

"The for lack of a better word man didn't exactly like my definate additude, he was quite rough.... and knew how to use a gun"

Amy said leaveing a clue to the extent of her injuries, hoping he didn't want any details.

Nicolas nodded at Amy's need to keep it to herself. He was rather angered by the prospect of someone hurting a 12-year-old child, let alone Amy.... not that that mattered... well alright it did. If he met these Muggle men what he'd do...

"What happened to them?" Nicolas said suddenly.