The Castle and Grounds

"Of course. Vot about the Babbling Potion? Do you have some, or shall I bring mine before getting the firevorks in order?" Boris answered without missing a beat, his voice only the slightest bit hoarse from all the laughter. It had been a few months since he'd laughed this much in one sitting, and it felt good to be doing so again!

"Oh, no worries, I've some right here," Nicolas said pulling a small box out of his robes. It was his box of mischief, he hardly went anywhere without it. There were small vitals of trick potions in there, and of course, the Babbling Potion.

“You still carry that around? Good man!” Boris practically beamed. It was a bit different than the ‘box of mischief’ he’d seen Nicolas carry around with him at Durmstrang, but perhaps it had just been so long since the pair hung out that Boris had forgotten the particulars.

“Very vell. I suppose ve shall see each other at dinnertime, then... I’m sure the evening vill go out vith a bang... and some howling!” the Russian teenager laughed and gave his friend a hearty pat on the shoulder.

"You can count on it." Nicolas grinned. "See you at dinner."

"It'll be explosive." Nicolas bowed and headed for the castle.

((After the event in the Forest))

Kiara warily stumbled out of the forest, she was sore and her bloodied arms were throbing thanks to the stab wounds given by the pheonix, and terribly tired, partly because of the blood loss.

"Err how am I going to make it to the castle without crawling?" she asked herself as she droped to her knees, and gave out a masive sigh.

Eglantine, still in cat form, followed Kiara's kitten out into the grounds. Already her heart was beginning to pound, despite the fact that she could still feel's Kiara's life force. "There she is." Horatio murmured, stooping quickly to pick up both Eglantine and Laverne. His long legs took his quickly to Kiara's side. Eglantine morphed back into her human shape after jumping out of his arms and levitated to stand beside Kiara.

"The wounds on her arms do not look good." Horatio muttered gravely. He pointed her wand at the nasty cuts and began to repair the damage. She would still be sore for a while, but at least the bleeding would stop. Eglantine pulled a longer yew wand from her pocket and cast a quick spell to check for other injuries.


"Kiara, look at me. Are you hurt anywhere else?" It was always important to find out how the person believed they were injured.

Kiara up and sighed with reilef when Horatio and Eglantine showed up. "Thank Merlin... and thank you Lav"

She nodded her thanks to Horatio for healing her arms.

She looked over at Eglantine, "No I am fine, just that Pheonix Zapped me of my engergy. Of all places for there to be a Black Pheonix one has to in the forest the day I go in there." Kiara said with a sigh.

((Black Pheonix's are Known wizard killers, in this world XD))

Horatio looked into the forest. "We should find it. If it attacked you it could very well attack a student."
Eglantine nodded, obviously not listening to him. Placing her cold hand on Kiara's hand, she transferred some energy to her. "Now lets get you back to the castle. You need to change and get some rest."

Kiara sighed and smiled at Horatio, "No need to look for it Hortio, it is in ashes, I killed it. That would be why my engergy is gone"

When Eglantine gave her some of her lost energy, she nodded in graditute, "Thank you Eglantine, much apreciated, you didn't have to"

Kiara stood up slowly so not to stumble, she was still sore espesaily her arms, but she was more or less in one pieace.

"Besides that pheonix was a bloodly powerful, could only be kill by the full power of my fire, without it there would be no way to fight against it." Kiara added looking in to the forest.

Horatio said nothing, instead he helped Kaira's stand by placing an arm around her shoulders. After all having had a phoenix familiar, he could use fire as well. It was the case when a wizard was bonded with a magical creature for so long. Eglantine sighed, looking up at Horatio. He took her message and gently scooped Kiara into his arms, bridal style.
"We'll take you to your rooms now." Eglantine assured her, picking up Laverne.

Kiara gave a yelped in surprise when Horatio picked her up.

"You don't have to, I can walk you know....... I am fine" said Kiara reasuringly.

"None of that, Kiara." Horatio stated, his voice gentle but firm. They went back toward the castle.

((Kiara's personal chambers...))

((While Kiara, Viper, and Ciaran are interrogating Eleutheria DeLanquar...))

Sevastyan wove Morana through the halls at a much slower pace than they had gone up, though it was still somewhat brisk. This wasn't a leisure walk. He needed to get back, and soon. The Russian had no intention of going back out into the snow. Morana could find her way back to the Forest and the thestral area by herself. It had been a good thing that Sevastyan never really dispensed with the typical equine gear: saddle, bridle, reins, et cetera. The process of getting Morana fitted would have consumed several precious minutes.

Dismounting from Morana's back the moment he reached the oaken front doors to the Great Hall, Sevastyan pushed the huge doors open and waited for the thestral to pass through.

"Возвращение, Morana," he commanded the mare in a soft voice. She did as told, making distinct prints in the snow. Once his thestral began to trot happily through the snow, Sevastyan smiled grimly and closed the door.

To the Potions Classroom now, he mused.

((continued from Vortex Chambers 20 years in future))

Ewan and Ean McKevin flashed onto the yawn of the castle grounds... Blinking they both glanced around.
"We're at Hogwarts, Ewan!" Ean smiled. "It worked..." Ewan nodded.
"Yeah... it did."

"So...how do we get back?" Ean asked, fear reaching his brain. Ewan sighed.

"Now you ask me..." he muttered. Glancing around, he smiled. "Come on... we'll go back after we see Mama... it'll only take a moment or two."

Cautious, but anxious to see her as well, Ean followed his brother. They transfigured their muggle attire into school robes... both Hufflepuff, so they would blend in... and entered the castle, milling easily with the students.

A komodo dragon hauled it bulky body across the grounds, intent on reaching the castle. His was curious how much Kiara had thought about his offer. Though he doubted she was going to go along with it.

He wanted to talk to his "niece".

(( XD totally different then above, Kiara and Ciaran's return to hogwarts after meeting Molly, the poor dears))

Kiara opened the wards for her and Ciaran to be allowed in to hogwarts grounds. The arrived arrived with a soft pop..

Kiara sighed still steaming with anger towards the wretched woman.

She squeezed Ciarans hand, but said nothing waiting for him to say what he wished to when he wanted. This after all was his past that just seemed to come back and hit him in the face, in cruel way.

Ciaran sighed deeply, releasing Kiara's hand. "Darlin..." he murmured. "Words fail me." he stated, bringing his hand to his face.
"Though me life is far from clean, I've done me best to be as a good man. This ya don't have ta believe... but its the truth."

Kiara sighed and walked closer to him, "Love.... I believe in you, I thought I made that much clear? And none of us hardly have clean pasts, I daresay you would be astonished with some of the horrors in my past, including crazy Ex's...." she stated.

She brought her hand up to his at face held it in hers. "I trust you, love... if I didn't I wouldn't have agreed to marry you in the first place"

Ciaran smiled, leaning into her hand. "I love ya, Kiara." he whispered, reflecting his words in his eyes. "So so much." he gathered her into his arms and held her tightly.

Kiara gave a small smile and hugged him close as well, he had to know she wouldn't let a resentful former girlfriend ruin what she thought of him. It would take A lot more then that to even make a dent in changing her mind.

"That is one thing you should know Love," she said one hand up cradling the back of his head and the other rubbing his back.

" I am extremely protective, over those in my family, and that my dear, includes you and Tav. She wants to even think of hurting you, she will have to get through me first" she said softly sincerity lining her every word.

"I so swear it" she whispered.

A soft glow surrounded her for a moment to make known she had in fact magically promised him.

"If we had not been on a muggle street and she had not been carrying a baby, I would have cursed her where she stood for saying what she did about you"

Something told her they have not seen the last of Molly.

Ciaran sighed. "It lifts me heart ta hear ya say that, lass, but I'm a full raised man." his eyes twinkled. "Don't be wasting that precious breath of yars on me every problem. Yar love and trust, standing beside me is worth more than any curse."

Kiara sighed, "And you have it dear" she said as she kissed his cheek. "Its just I don't like seeing you hurt, in anyway. Besides I would say you are worth the breath, a whole lot more then that actually..... to me"

She thought for a moment, she wanted to ask what happened between him and Molly, she caught bits and pieces of it. She was torn weather leave it at that or here the full story....

No... Molly ruined his mood enough for today.

"Come love, lets not let her ruin our Christmas, and I promise you will not need to worry about meeting my crazy Ex, thank merlin.... Danial Lestrange would make Miss VanCallun look positively sane" she said lightly, and truly thankul he wouldn't have the chance to meet her Ex.

"Now didn't you say we had a dinner to get to today?" she asked hoping to cheer him up.

Ciaran chuckled, but remained stern. "Aye... but afore, ya need ta be hearing the whole thing. Molly and I dated far...about a year." he began, still holding Kiara's hands.
"I thought at first she'd be good for Tav, but the lad hated her and she him. So, we parted our ways when she agan to see other men and I gave her not another though after." he sighed.
"Seemed I should've. Ya see... the proof that her child isn't mine is simple. We never shared a bed... I never loved her and went with me tradition."

Kiara nodded, "I thought as much, I admit this is not the first time I have heard of Molly.... Tav mentioned her on his tour of Hogwarts, and he didn't speak to highly of her. As for the child, I assumed that was what happened. Her version of the story didn't sound like you at all, I didn't believe her for a second" she said with a smile.

"Really how could she not like Tav, he is a sweet heart" she said as if it was a crime.

"I didn't suspect he would..." he chuckled, the smile softening his face this time. "And thank ya so for yar trust in me, lass." He leaned down to kiss her lips gently, cupping the back of her head with his free hand. He loved her deeply and was thrilled beyond words that his love was returned in full.
"That was between them... she just never liked him and he her... have ta ask him about it sometime."