Miranda Maecer's Office

Horatio chuckled. "I would suppose so. I've always admired people willing to give up their time to listen to other's problems. Really is one of the most unselfish caring jobs there is."

Miranda smiled and blushed lightly, dropping her gaze. "Oh, I don't see it as sacrificing time or giving it up. I see it as using the time. Using it to help others. After all, I know how hard it is to live life bottling emotions. It's not a pleasant feeling." she concluded.

Not wanting the conversation to linger on her, she hastily changed the subject. "Were you always a Professor, Professor McKevin?"

Horatio nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is dangerous to both ones's health and one's social life, in my humble opinion to keep a your emotions corked up like a bottle of wine. You need to uncork them every one and a while or the pressure will wither you away." He sighed.
"No, I was a part of a private research group for about sixty years. I then became a tutor and then came to Hogwarts. How about you? Have you been a counselor for long?"

Eglantine tried to ignore both Miranda and Horatio's comments of bottled up emotions, but found herself hurt despite the fact she knew they had been speaking in general.

Miranda nodded, pleased to see someone understood her views. "Indeed. Not to mention how awfully lonely it is. You feel as though you're living a lie your entire life." she replied softly.

"30 years." she answered as her gaze flickered to Eglantine who seemed to be growing a bit...uncomfortable...by their surrounding conversations. Miranda had her suspicions as to why but thought it best to keep silent. At least, for now.

At Miranda's statement, Eglantine swallowed softly. A lie your entire life...she had been living that life and disliked being reminded of it.

Horatio however was oblivious to her pain. "Thirty years. Good amount of time. Did you do anything before?"

From the corner of her eye, Miranda noticed the Transfiguration Professor's increased uneasyness. However, remembering the strong reactions she had earlier from Miranda's "prying", the older witch held her tongue.

"Besides help continue a dynasty of Death Eaters and assassins, nto to mention personally serve the dark lords?" she thought to herself.

"No, I did not." Miranda replied softly, hoping the wizard wouldn't prod her anymore.

Horatio dropped the subject, not one to pry into the past. Between Eglantine and the rest of the staff, he had decided not to delve to deeply into anyone's past above the age of 20.

"Have you heard about the Kiara's engagement?" he asked, proud that his nephew had in fact popped the question to the young woman he viewed as a daughter.

Miranda raised her eyebrows. "No I have not! Who is she engaged to?" she asked as a delighted smile colored her face.

Eglantine spoke for the first time in a while. "Horatio nephew, Ciaran McConn." Horatio nodded.

"He's an auror and they are madly in love. Wonderful to see them so happy."

"Ah, love seems to be everywhere around Hogwarts, is it not? Kiara's engagement, the two of you, Professor Viper and Sevastyan... I must say, this is quite refeshing from the norm of lonely spinster and bachelor Professors that filled Hogwarts." Miranda smiled, thinking of her student days.

Eglantine nodded slightly while Horatio laughed loudly and slapped his knee. "Indeed it is. All schools should follow our example, wouldn't you say?"

Miranda shot an amused look at the wizard. "Indeed. It can be in small print on the employment contracts: Must find love."

Horatio laughed at her statement, his deep rumbling voice filling the room. "You have a lovely sense of humour, my dear." he stated, wiping a tear from his eye. Even Eglantine smiled softly.

Miranda beamed, pleased to see she was able to make her colleagues smile. "Likewise, Professor."

Horatio nodded his head in thanks. "Why thank you. By the way, how shall I address you?" he asked, pipe smoke making an undulating pattern about his head.

"Miranda, definately. Titles do nothing but hinder relations." Miranda nodded firmly with a small smile.

Horatio beamed. "Lovely to hear. Then I insist you call me Horatio, Miranda. How about you, my dear?" he asked, looking at Eglantine. She sighed.
"If you desire." she stated softly.

"Oh, Professor I would never refer to you anything other than what you are comfortable with." Miranda said to Eglantine after noticing her reaction. Clearly the younger witch felt uncomfortable quite easily and that simply would not go well for Miranda.

Eglantine smiled softly. Miranda seemed very sensitive, not to mention caring. "Eglantine will be fine." she offered. Horatio said nothing, happily puffing at his pipe.

"Now that we've taken care of that. Anyone have any other tidbit of gossip?" he asked jestingly.

Miranda smiled in return. "Very well, Eglantine, Horatio."

She grinned in response to the jest. "Alas, I have only arrived and therefore I hold none. Perhaps you would care to catch me up, Horatio?" she asked in the same joking manner.

He chuckled, "Unfortunately I have little else to report... ah! Professors Viper and Kaminski are involved. Lovely couple as I'm sure you noticed. The First Task of the Tournament went well, despite broken bones and biased voting... and the Yull Ball is right around the corner."

"Ah yes, I did notice that when I was in the Owlery. They are a lovely couple, seem very happy together," a smile appeared on her face. "So who came together first? Professors Viper and Kaminski or Eglantine and yourself?"

She nodded in comprehension of the events. "Yes, I'm hoping to be able to meet with the champions. Or at least the Hogwarts ones." a smile played on her face. "I don't think the Foreign heads would appreciate me approaching their students. Especially Madame Lasharna." she joked lightly.

Horatio nodded. "Very happy. Hmm...not certain. I do believe Sevastyan and Viper have came first. Eglantine was rather hesitant to even befriend if I remember correctly. I had to literally sweep her off her feet."

"Ah, yes, Lethal Lasharna...rather intense woman. Not one I'd like to be counsellor for..." he muttered.

"Indeed. And I'm quite sure that in the event I do counsel her, my insurance will not cover for any repercussions that may emerge from such a meeting." Miranda joked lightly, imagining the Headmistress's reaction to Miranda's suggestion that she loosen her grip on her daughter and let the girl be more independent.

Eglantine sighed. "She does...have a rather overbearing nature." she stated softly. As Lasharna was her friend, despite her emotional outbursts on more than one occasion, Eglantine defended her.

Horatio rolled his eyes, but made certain Eglantine's did not see the action. "Ah yes, overbearing..." he mumbled.