The Third Floor Coriddor

"Yes," Diana said eyeing the Slytherins. "Not that it's any of your business." She folded her arms across her chest.

"Whatever you say, mudblood." Raven inserted, cringing when Bella slapped her arm.
"You'll have to pardon my friend, she is slightly upset at your Head of House for taking points from her. Something about breaking a fountain." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, how are you and your boyfriend?" Raven snickered, while Bella rolled her eyes.

"She's a Half-blood," Helena said through gritted teeth. "And part of a family that's far older than your own."

"We're fine..." Diana said frowning. "What's it to you?"

Bella scoffed. "I doubt her family is older than mine...but I'm willing to accept that she's a half-blood. And as for your boyfriend. Let's just say I love a good romance." she smiled. Raven just stared at her friend, mouth open. Why was she being nice or as nice as Bella ever was, to this Gryffindor?

Diana blinked and glanced at Helena given what the Slytherin said. Helena just shrugged her shoulders. There were several ways to interpret what Bella meant however, Diana choose the one that would least likely result in another brawl.

Helena however, didn't. "What? No 'Gryffindors and Slytherins shouldn't mix?' or 'Stay away from our men, you Gryffindor scum?'"

"I have to say Diana," Helena said looking at her friend. "I'm rather disappointed. The only good thing about your... relationship is that we now have a better excuse to get ourselves into detention."

Bella chuckled. "Darien Vaight is not what I would call a model Slytherin...but then again, I don't know him." She cocked her head to the side. "Didn't you become an animagus, Diana?"

"Yes, how do you know?" She said raising her eye brow, "I hardly told anyone."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Bloody hell! Her aunt taught you. Of course she know about your..." Bella silenced Raven with a glare.
"Professor DeLanquar was very pleased with your success and I overheard her telling Headmistress Kiara..."

"Your related to Delanquar?" Helena said incredilous.

"Yeah, I am her niece." Bella smirked. "Though I have no idea how she ended up as your Head of House. But I suppose since she is a blood traitor she couldn't have gotten anything better than Gryffindor's Head."

"That's no way to talk about a teacher, more so since she's part of your family." Diana reprimanded. Diana suddenly had an epiphany. So this must be the Bella Rosier that Vivian Rosier was talking about. "Though I must agree, her and your family seem to be very different."

Bella rolled her eyes. "What? You don't like your precious Gryffindors being insulted." Raven beamed as if Bella had just made an Oscar presentation. "Or maybe you're just afraid to be lumped into blood traitor like she is."

"I just think that the woman deserves some respect." Diana said crossy. "Honestly, does everything have to be about blood?"

"Yes Diana," Helena said sarcastically. "Because blood really determines your abilities."

((Different time line from above; Continued from the Top of the Astronomy Tower.

Kazimir shakily made his way down to the third floor. Whoever cast that 'Crucio' on him would pay for doing so while his back was turned to them. But who had it been? Surely not the Headmistress... she seemed too good for her own good to use such a spell. The other woman... now, he hadn't met her yet. She seemed the most likely culprit for the time being.

Adjusting the sleeves of his robes uncomfortably due to the burns of dark flame that had briefly encircled his arms Kazimir winced as he acknowledged each and every injury he'd received in the duel with Sevastyan. Fortunately he'd been able to anticipate some of the worst of his moves, whereas the other wizard seemed to think Kazimir's weaker spells were really his worst. The Headmaster comforted himself with the notion that it was his advanced years that helped him make the decisions he'd made in the duel.

He hadn't spotted that poltergeist anywhere, which was a good thing for it. Another good thing for the entity was that he was now wandless, or else Kazimir would have vented his frustration on it without a second thought. He'd had Kaminski right where he wanted him - why did they have to interrupt at that precise moment? Oh well: fate must have another plan for the traitor, he mused.

Noticing someone up ahead Kazimir straightened his posture and adjusted his robes again, not wanting whoever it was to know he was the one that had gotten into a scuffle. Best to think it had been a squabble between two students.... at least the poltergeist hadn't stated anything other than the ethnic label of the opponents!

Headmistress Lasharna stood in the hallway tapping her foot against the stone. Everyone appeared to have vanished at the precise moment that she had actually desired to speak about something... A smile graced her features as she saw Headmaster Kazimir approach her from futher down the hallway. Apparently she had been too busy mentally fuming about Headmistress Kiara's lack of manners to have noticed him.

"Good evzing, Headmaster." she greeted, curtseying politely. She had heard some creature screaming something about Russian duels... no doubt he was frustrated with his students. Poor man, she thought.

"Good evening to you as vell, Headmistress," he replied, bowing just as courteously with his hands clasped behind his back to stop their shaking; after-effects from the Cruciatus. "To vot do I owe the pleasure of meeting you here on a night such as this?" he asked politely, curious whether she had been here a while or if she had been drawn from her chambers by that confounded poltergeist.

Genevieve crossed her arms over her chest. "Zom creazure vas shouzing avou a Ruzzan duel. I vent to finz zomone and Headmiztrez Kiara is vanished." she gestured about her as if the entire castle was now empty. "No von was hurt, oui?"

"It vos a poltergeist, making trouble as it is apparently accustomed to doing.

"And you vould find the Headmistress at the top of the Astronomy Tower on the seventh floor, vhere the duel took place," Kazimir replied, his dark eyes seeming to get darker upon speaking about their hostess. "As for injuries... it vos nothing serious," he added, withholding the fact that the duelists had been two grown men as opposed to students, or that the one likely still at the tower was being medically treated.

Genevieve rose an eyebrow. "Az de top of ze Zower? Vaz de duel bezween von of her prezious students and yours?" Inwardly she was hoping Kiara had been one of those injured...though the fact that it was highly unlikely grated at her.

Kazimir had to outwardly chuckle at the question. "Not qvite, though I don't doubt vone of the injured is indeed precious to her... and formerly vone of my students," he stated, not to enthused about mentioning his part in the duel. "You remember the other day ven I specifically told Kaminski that he and I still had unfinished business?" he hedged, deciding to be rather more candid with her than likely anyone else he would meet on the way back to his ship but still slightly evasive.

Genevieve nodded. "Anz he dare zo azach you! Merde! He vaz injured, no? Ver you?" Concern flittered in her eyes and she actually looked eager to assist him.

The Beauxbatons headmistress had entirely the opposite idea, but the fact that she did could be advantageous for his position in the whole situation. So, without hesitation, Kazimir nodded in confirmation that it had been Sevastyan that attacked first. "I daresay he vos a bit off guard vonce he realized I vould not be caught unavares," Kazimir replied, twisting the chain of events to his benefit. "In my opinion, he vos injured slightly more than me." That last statement was a bit more accurate despite the unforgivable launched at him from an unexpected assailant.

"Of corz he vas. You are wit more experience. How vad ver you vounded?" she asked. She had not doubt that he had been attacked without provocation, probably for that Kaminski character to show off to Headmistress Kiara. Already she was labeling the young DADA professor as an upstart and Kiara's puppy.
"Vould you zant my helzp?" She asked. Genevieve rarely offered to help anyone save her students and staff. And even then, she often thought it best that they learn to help themselves. It was a individual's world after all and no one survived without being able to take care of themselves.

((rofl - "Kiara's puppy" - good one! xD))


"It is nothing serious, for the most part: a few cuts and bruises. The vorst of it vos a burning ribbon of dark flame... a Russian curse I invented and had taught to my Dueling Club students. It vould seem I made a slight mistake in teaching Kaminski that vone ven he vos a boy..." Kazimir replied, for the most part honest. He'd endured a few other hexes and jinxes, but managed to repair the damage and continue the duel without missing a beat. He would not mention the Cruciatus, more for the sake of his own pride than anything else.

"I greatly appreciate the offer, but I believe I vill manage," Kazimir replied in a softer tone of voice that now sounded more like a tuba rather than a sandpapered bullfrog, his expression clearly a little taken aback at the offer but by no means offended. "I vould not vant to impose, at any rate, unless you vere to insist..." he added courteously. He admired those that were openly self-sufficient, for he had had to be the very same way at quite a young age.

((lol, thanks))

Genevieve nodded. "I vill inziz zen, s'il vous plaît. It iz de less I do. I zould have looked into vi de crezure was sheeming." She smiled. "Pleaz allow me to azist for zere conversation." She could only hope her heavy french accent and horrid English skills did not make him look down at her. Maybe it would be best to allow him to hear her instead of a translation charm.