Entrence Hall

Kiara laughed as Edwin showed her the the puppy "It is hard to miss, little one, it is a rather big puppy, it is going to grow up to be bigger then you soon" she said as she smiled down at Edwin.

Laughed at Eglantines reply "I take it that why she left in such a hurry?" Kiara said as she petted the chubby puppy.

"How are you Edwin? Glad to back at Hogwarts with your Mama?" she asked.

Edwin shook his head, smiling. "Yeah! We cawn swim in da lwake and swee Viper!" he exclaimed as if the two activities were the most important he could think of.

"She barely left quickly enough." Eglantine returned. "Edwin, going up to our chambers and unpacking your things will come first, biene. And you will not be swimming in the lake."

The child's smile was infectious, causing Sevastyan to veritably grin back. He practically opened his mouth to say something about the canine when the lad took off down the hall. A curious glance in that direction, and confirming that Edwin's only possible target could be Kiara, Sevastyan decided he needn't chase after the boy to keep him out of harm's way.

"He is qvite charming..." Sevastyan offered to Eglantine, considering that the child's attention had been diverted. "Edvin, that is. The dog... vell..." The Russian hesitated, not quite sure whether he should speak his mind or what. "I'm sure that - Toliver? - vould make a good companion."

In a whisper so only Professor DeLanquar would be able to hear, he added, "Though I too am more than a little concerned about the issue of size..." Sevastyan never owned a Saint Bernard, but he knew witches and wizards that did. He wondered vaguely how or if such a big dog would work with such a small child...

Eglantine nodded. "Thank you. I am quite sure that Toliver." she groaned, rising a hand to her head. "He named it and is in love with it. Edwin with all of his charm cannot keep the creature." her voice was laced with no small amounts of panic and fear. After all, Edwin being only three years old would be unable to care for the dog...in turn the feeding, bathing and whatever else needed to be done with it, would fall to his mother.

((this is during the time Kiara is fighting in the forest))

Lav the kitten rapily skracked at the main door wanting to be found by someone who she know she could help her mistress.

"Meow"

Horatio and Eglantine were making their way past the entrance hall with Edwin in tow, when he pointed out a kitten. "Look, Mama!" he shouted, squatting down. "Hew kwiten." Horatio passed Edwin's form and scooped up the small kitten in his large hands.

"This is Kiara's cat," he muttered, glancing back at Eglantine. She held her hands out for the kitten and nodded as she looked it over briefly.

Stopping a passing by Gryffindor seventh year, Horatio told the girl to watch Edwin until they returned. Eglantine morphed into her cat form and looked at the kitten.

"Where is your mistress?" she meowed.

Lav motioned outside.
"Out there... Something big and black attacked us in the woods, she made me run away. She didn't follow me.... can you help?" Lav asked curiously.

"Please show me where she is." Eglantine responded, already heading toward the doors, which Horatio opened for them. "We will help her."

Lav ran back out the way she came, hoping her mistress had not been hurt by what ever it was...

((To the grounds))

Darien strolled into the entrance hall and loitered by a wall.

He wasn't looking for Diana...and he wasn't wearing a mask as anything other than a hardcore fashion statement.

Graham perched on his arm, ready for a quick flight. Darien had taken to wearing his large black mask to protect his nose from any flailing wings.

Releasing the bird's leash, he watched as Graham soared around above him.

Ferderico and Roberto, two highly dressed, disgruntled looking Wizards stepped onto the Entrance Hall.

They were talking in really quick spanish, looking very confused and very disgruntled when they spotted Darien in his mask.

"Excuse me, where is Care of Magical Creatures?" The taller one asked.

Darien glanced at them and had a funny feeling he'd seen them before. But he pushed it from his mind.

"Up those stairs, along the corridor, up the stairs to the left, then you can take a cut-through if you duck behind the tapestry of the babbling beaver. It looks like a wall, but it's fake. You can walk right through it. Then turn right at the end and it's the third door on the left. Well, the office is third on the left. The classroom's opposite it."

"Gracias," Ferderico said heading to Darien's directions with Roberto not far behind him.

Gracius...

Darien's brain jolted. And leapt. And generally felt weird.

"Oh my god..." He hissed. "Shit! Graham!" He whistled and the bird landed on his arm.

ANA!
What've you done now?
FERDERICO, AND SOME TALL GUY! THEY'RE HERE!
What?!
And I gave them directions to Care of Bloody Magical Creatures!
...You are thick! THICK! IMBECILIC IN FACT.
I know...We need to help them.
Well Darien, hurry up and follow. Use whatever short cuts you can.
Um...Ana, my wand's in my trunk...
Bloody perfect. Just get the hell to the common room, I'll meet you en route. Fast as you can.
Alright.

Darien released Graham and whistled sharply. "Follow."
He transformed and began to run, a wolf sprinting along the corridors, a black eagle easily flying alongside...

((continued from Professor Viper's chambers))

Eglantine hurried through the halls until she reached the entrance hall. Her lavender handkerchief was carefully held over her pale face, as blood was seeping from her mouth and nose.

She carefully morphed into her animagus form and clutched the asp blood vial in her feline mouth. Slipping out the door, she hurried toward the gates.

((continued in abandoned muggle restaurant))

Kiara paced around the entrance hall pretending to read, however if one look close enough one could see the book was up side down and she eyes were focused on the door.

She bit her lip praying for Eglantine to open the door.

"Please be alright....."

The door opened and Eglantine, in her animagus form, slipped in. She froze when she saw Kiara and a cat-smile formed on her lips.

Kiara...she meowed, hurrying forward. She leapt up into the younger woman's arms and sighed. After the chaos, confusion and trauma of the day, she felt relieved to finally feel safe.

Kiara breathed in releif when she finally saw Eglantine in her cat form enter.

"Thank Merlin..... Eglantine you have now Idea how close I was to going to tell Horatio or rushing out to find you" she said as she held the cat in her arms.

"You are alright arn't you? you didn't get hurt or anything?" she asked worriedly.

The cat shook her head. Still purring, Eglantine leapt down from Kiara's arms and morphed back into her human form. Besides a rather nasty bruise on her forehead, Eglantine appeared to have escaped relatively unscathed from her encounter with her father.

Kiara sighed, yes true Eglantine looked fine, but she learned apperences could be decieving. Especaily with the older woman.

"Come on, lets go to my quarters... where I can do something about that burise, I want to make sure you don't have a concussion" she said.

She kept silent about Eglantine's encounter with her father, thinking she wouldn't want to talk about it right now and it best she just relax.

Eglantine chuckled. "A concussion?" she repeated, her hand lifting to her forehead. She sighed. "Very well." But before they could take another step, she seized Kiara's arms, gently but nonetheless with a grip that held far more strength than the witch normally had.

"I killed him, Kiara." she whispered, her eyes which usually held a small bit of curiosity mixed with worry, were void of emotion. "I murdered my father."

Kiara sighed and nodded, "You did what you had to do Eglantine" she said calmly, all though the lack of emotion distirbed her... for a moment. Then she shrugged it off, it had been for a long day, and when her own father died she hadn't shown much emotion either. Then again she hadn't seen her father all that often nor was she close to him when he died.

"Come on.... I just want to make sure your are more or less alright" she said guiding Eglantine in the direction to her chambers.

Eglantine allowed Kiara to guide to toward the chambers. She had no desire to fight her or insist her was fine and well. Emotionally, she felt hollow and crushed.

So you take the path of the virtuous slayer... so much like the Heir of Rosier. Her father''s words still rung in her mind and she almost dropped the levitation charm.

Like your mother... a lovely porcelain vase full of nothing but vile contempt. She lifted her hands to her head, trying desperately to rid herself of his repeating booming voice.

You are a thorn on the white rose.

A weaver of harlot's lies. Eglantine saw a bright flash of light and her vision blurred. Darkness overcame her and she slumped over. Her father's words rang through her mind, crushing her defenses and invading her very soul.

"Eglantine?!" Kiara exclaimed in worry when the older woman slumped over.

She reached her arms out to hold on to Eglantine.

Casting a levitation charm on the other women, kiara conjured a cool cloth and waved a dianostic spell to see if she had any injuries.

"Please be alright.... Eglantine you must be" she pleaded as she made her way toward her quarters.

((continued from castle and grounds))

Ewan and Ean blended in well with other students, as they were tall for their age and rather stocky. They could easily be mistaken for third years rather then ten year olds with no business being there...

"See anyone yet?" Ean asked. Ewan shook his head.
"Twenty years...Ean! People no doubt change." and yet both pairs of eyes knew the people they sought hadn't changed a day...