Professor McKevin's Office

"Thank you, sir," Michael replied with a grin at the Professor's praise. "And no, I don't have anything pressing." A dark caramel brow quirked in realization of a pattern here: mission set, mission completed, and finally a cup of hot chocolate to sort of toast the success. The kid could get used to this!

As Professor McKevin went about making hot chocolate, the Hufflepuff extended his digits toward the kitten upon the desk to gently "wrestle" with it. However it looked more like the kitten's tiny paws were giving Michael's thumb and middle finger repeated 'high-five's. It was all fun and games, the boy chuckling at the antics, until tiny sharp teeth sunk into one of his knuckles....

"Oh?" Michael replied, wincing slightly at the unexpected play bite and managing to somewhat return the favor by getting a good gentle swat in at the kitten's ear. One would think Michael were a kitten in human form, to his slight embarrassment, if one were to observe and remark upon this gentleness. It looked a little odd to see a teen - dressed as though he were either coming from or even in a rock and roll band - gingerly playing with a tiny kitten. "Did you have anyone in particular in mind, Professor?" he wondered curiously.

Horatio chuckled as he set the mug down in front of Michael. "Only you, my boy." he stated, watching carefully for the young man's reaction. Taking care of a kitten was no small feat.

Michael's eyes widened in surprise, though he supposed he should have seen this coming. After all, it's not like he was a part of a team of delivery-students. And the kitten was rather cute. It was all too plain that, if allowed, he would love to keep her. "Me? Well, yeah, sure - I'll take her! It'll probably a little different than taking care of an iguana, huh?" he answered cheerily, the question worded as half-joking, half-serious. Of course taking care of a kitten would be different than providing for an iguana: first of all, kittens didn't have a constant diet of fruits and leaves. Yes: Iggy - named after Iggy Pop - is a vegetarian iguana. Just like his master's preference of semi-vegetarianism.

"What do you think?" he asked the kitten, smiling when it mewed back at him.

"Yes, kittens do not have much in common with iguanas. So you have one? What's its name?" Horatio asked curious. He stuck his pipe into his mouth and pulled out and bit of string for the kitten to play with, handing it to Michael. "This'll save your fingers." he joked.

Michael chuckled at Horatio's response. "Well, I'd wanted to call him Ozzie, but my little sister started calling him 'Iggy' and it just sorta stuck... so his name's Iggy," the boy explained. "Do you like lizards, professor?" the lad asked conversationally.

"Thanks," Michael added with a grin and a small laugh, taking the offered string and dangling it in front of the kitten, who immediately attempted to try and grab it with her claws.

Horatio shrugged. "Yes, I suppose. Not a hug fan of reptiles, but I'm sure he was a fine one." He chuckled softly as the kitten played with the string.
"So what are you going to call her?"

Michael thought for a moment, his attention to the string's path and the claws that chased after it having waned. "What do you think of the name 'Sienna', professor? Her orange stripes are almost the right color aren't they?" he asked the older man for his opinion.

Horatio nodded. "Yes, that sounds like the perfect name, Michael. You've got a good head on your shoulders." he chuckled, "And a kitten as well it would seem." he added as the little fluff daringly leapt for the boy's shoulder.

Kiara walked nervously up to Horatio's office, she needed to ask a rather personal favor of him. It wasn't something ever though she would be able to ask someone, she just hoped he accpeted.

Lifting her hand she knocked on the door.

The door swung open and music blared out from within the messy room. Horatio had three muggle devices which played muggle CD's on their highest volume and was waltzing about with his hat rack. The music selection happened to be "Only You" by the Platters.

Kiara couldn't stopped herself from laughing at Horatio's antics as she place she hands over her ears to protect her hearing form the loud music.

"Umm Horatio!! could turn it down a notch please!!" she yelled over the music, but there was still as smile on her face.

The music faded immediately and he turned to smile at her. Setting the hat rack aside, obviously not the slightest bit embarrassed, he reached out to kiss her hand and led her to a chair.
"Hello, Kiara. What brings you to my office today?"

Kiara smiled, how could she not love Horatio? he was everything she ever wished her real father had been. Which was why she was here.

"Well I am not sure if you knew or not but Ciaran asked me to marry him yesterday" she said as she lifted up her hand to show him her ring. "I said yes"

"And well... I wanted to ask a rather personal favor of you. If that is alright?" she asked once she sat in the chair.

Horatio's smile faded as he saw the ring, only to be replaced with an even larger grin that split the older man's face.
"Congratulations, my dear." He stated, embracing her and crushing her against him. "Now what was that favour? You name it, anything at all."

Kiara bit her lip and down.. what if he didn't want to?

"Erm... well you see... it.. it would be tradional for the brides father to... to you know give her away... as you know neither of my parent are alive.. heck even if he were alive he wouldn't do it.... so anyways what I mean to ask is..."

She looked up to face him, to see his reaction "Will you... will you give me away?"

Horatio's smile turned serious and he knelt down in front of Kiara's chair. "My dear, nothing would honour me more." There were tears sparkling in his deep eyes and he swallowed heavily.

Kiara sighed in relief to hear him say that, "The honor his mine Horatio, thank you. You are the closest thing I will ever get to a father, and for that I thank you... really" she said with a smile.

"Plus weither you admit it or not I know it was you and Egtantine that matched us together. I couldn't have been more happier, thank you" she said meaning everyword.

The words touched Horatio's heart and he gathered the young woman into his arms. "That means so much to me, my dear. I think of you as a daughter." He smoothed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, I suppose we did. Eglantine simply wanted to get you a date. And I wanted Ciaran to be said date...now you have a fiance. I don't thinking we planned for that occurrence. Which reminds me. Have you told Eglantine yet?"

Kiara returned the embrace, and smiled as tears came to her eyes as well. "Thank you Horatio." she said with a laugh. "Who would have that that at the age of 30 I would finally get a father, a mother, a soon to be husband, and a son in one day" she said happily.

She shook her head at his question, "Not yet, but Iwas under the impression you both knew.." she asked with a smile.

Horatio chuckled, standing up. "Yes, who would have thought. Fate is often ironic." At her question, he raised an eyebrow.
Ciaran had come to both he and Eglantine to ask for Kiara's hand. It was Scottish tradition to ask permission for the bride's hand either from her parents or guardians. It had pleased both professors greatly to give their blessing to the proposal.

"Yes, I suppose we knew. Ciaran asked for our blessing."

Kiara laughed, "it seemed I was the only one who didn't now about the whole thing. I am so glad you both approve" she said her eye sparkling brighter then ever.

Horatio chuckled patting her chin in fatherly gesture. However for a moment a glimmer of darkness entered his blue eyes.

"We both approve heartily. Eglantine thought Ciaran was a, and I quote, "Uniquely admirable gentlemen." he chuckled.

Kiara smiled "That sounds like Eglantine alright, and I agree with her, that he is"
Then she noticed the slight chance in his mood, which promted her to ask.

"Is something the matter Horatio?"

He sighed and moved to seat himself at his desk, leaning forward on his elbows.
"Kiara, ever since..." he trailed off, sighing. "I'm worried about Eglantine. She has been acting strangely. She receives these letters, which she wont even say who sent and she has been vanishing a great deal. It even has reached the point, that... she hardly does anything with Edwin. She does her classes, her meals and then asks me to watch him. I've been trying to keep him busy, so he wont notice, but he does."

Kiara looked up worried also, the last time Eglantine avoided Edwin was when Cerise had taken over her. Then again it may be becasue of Charles...

"You have cause to worry then... ussually when Eglantine does that is because she is doing something that it is dangerous and she doesn't want us to interfer with what she is doing...she knows we would not approve."

Kiara shock her head, my how similar they were... she was planing the samething...and going a step further then that.

"Any guesses?"