The Great Hall

Kiara nodded and motioned her head to a side door that led out of the Great hall.

"Yes this way" she said as she led to the door to the troghy form.

(Trophy room?)

Viper was standing right beside the Slytherin table, having arrived a bit later than the others. At the sound of Ana's name being called reached her ears, she swore loudly, well aware of the face that several students had turned their heads towards her.

As she noticed her collegues and foreign school Heads merge together, she walked over to the Head Table, following them to the trophy room .

Kazimir shot a glare of pure venom in Kiara's direction, but said nothing. At her suggestion, he followed to the specified room.

* * * *

Sevastyan nodded his thanks to Headmistress Kiara, ignoring Kazimir completely for the time being. He was vaguely aware that another set of footsteps was following behind him. Turning to glance behind him, the Russian couldn't help but smile inwardly. A fraction of it showed on his face as they took their temporary leave.

* * * *

"A scalawag, my good lad, is a mischievous little sprout like yourself!" Ethan answered enthusiastically and gently ruffled the kid's hair. With all that was going on, and a three-year-old in his lap, Ethan wasn't sure if he should follow or not. After all, this had entirely nothing to do with him

Madame Lasharna followed Kiara and Kazimir into the Trophy room, casting a glare back at Sevastyan as she went. For some strange reason, she decided she didn't like him... not that Genevieve really needed any reasons to hate anyone...

****

Eglantine looked after the Heads, not sure if she should follow to help keep Lasharna checked or not. Finally she decided that Kiara could take care of herself, and glanced over to Professor Addams to be certain her son was behaving himself.

****

"You like dwogs?" Edwin asked, clutching the plush snake he was so fond of to his chest. "Iw gots one, Towiver. Mama wolnd let me bwing him."

Juria entered the Great Hall and went to the table and sat down in an empty space,

"Hello Everyone."

A simple smile rested on her face as she greeted all who where there.

Raven entered the Great hall where everyone was meeting, she took a seat hoping not to be noticed and opened a book to read, but still listening to everything going on around her. She was nervous to be around so many people and hopefully wouldn't get shy if someone came and talked to her.

Darien was livid.
"You are fourteen!"
Ana rolled her eyes. "As you keep reminding me."
"If you survive this tournament, I will-"
"What? Annoy me to death? Because you're trying to do that now."
Darien glared. "I will-"
"Give it up big brother, or I'll just silence you."
"You are not Dad!"
Ana sighed. "Wow that explains so much."
"What were you thinking?!"
"I was thinking hm...I think I'll drink some polyjuice potion pretend to be my brother and enter all on my own."
Darien's jaw dropped. "You did what?!"
Ana rolled her eyes. "I just told you. And I would've told you earlier if you hadn't decided to go all paranoid."
"I'm not paranoid. People DIE in this Ana."
"Yes, and I was aware of that fact when I entered my name."
Darien swore.
"What is your problem?! Just let it go."
"What is my problem?!" Darien hissed at his sister. "Apparently you are my problem."
"So cliche..." Ana remarked, turning her back on Darien to face Bella.
"Don't turn your back on me!"
"Don't quote the Lion King." Ana replied, still not looking at him.

((Juria could be sitting next to Ethan, if you'd like, Falling_Rain?))

Ethan's entire attention was on the boy that was clutching a plush snake and sitting in his lap, somewhat surprised the youngster would willingly climb into a relative stranger's grasp. Then again, it was common knowledge that the school was a relatively safe place... an arm was placed behind the boy so he didn't fall backward and into something. Ethan had had some experience with his own children before his ex-wife decided a divorce was entirely necessary, to know that one needed to keep an eye out for such things.

"I do indeed like doggies, lad. Have one meself, actually. But I didn't think she'd like being around so many people so she's up in my quarters. Maybe sometime you'd like to see 'er?" Ethan offered, pretty much oblivious to the fact that he'd pretty much suggested to play babysitter... ((lol))

"Toliver sounds like a marvelous poochie! What's 'e look like?" Ethan asked, keeping the conversation fairly simple and pleasant, pretty sure the youngster didn't know precisely what breed his dog was from. Vaguely the wizard was reminded of his own son, Valerio. How old was he by now? Seven... or eight? Ah, yes: eight years old. Time bloody flies... Ethan mused.

"Who might your mummy be, lad?" Professor Addams hoped the boy's mother wasn't minding the fact that he was with him...


"A good evening to you as well, Juria!" Ethan beamed, distracted thoroughly from his thoughts. Though, the image of his son still lingered just beneath the surface.

"Towiver is big, wi bwack ewrs and a wet nose." Edwin pointed to his own nose, smiling happily. "Wha yours wok like?" he asked, looking down to start playing with his snake's beady eyes. Already one had popped off...of course his mama had charmed it back on only moments after it had broken.

"She's a profethor." he shrugged, obviously not caring to discuss his mother. "Wha your name?" Edwin asked suddenly, wrinkling his nose as he twisted the snake's head.




Further down the table, Eglantine sat patiently, having decided that Ethan Addams was a fine person to watch her son for the moment. After Esis had taken care of him, there was very little that Ethan could teach the boy that would be worse...she shuddered briefly at the thought of Edwin swearing in French, throwing his food and slapping her. All of those things she had her cousin to thank for and if she ever laid her hands on the former Malfoy... no amount of magic would spare her.

"He sounds like a pleasant poochie," Ethan said with a smile. "Jazmyn is a fairly little dog with silvery gray hair, a stubby little tail, brown eyes, and a black nose as well."

The kid didn't seem to keen to discuss his mother, which made the wizard laugh. "My name, good lad, is Ethan. What might yours be?"

Ethan was fairly certain that Viper couldn't have been the boy's mother... she'd only just met that Sevastyan chap anyway. That only left Kiara, Eglantine... or Juria. Because he was so young, it was rather difficult to determine whom the boy's family were amongst the staff in that Ethan at least couldn't find any similar features. Perhaps he'd find out in time.

"So, you like snakes, lad?" Ethan asked, lightly grasping the opposite end of the plush snake and giving it a gentle shake.

"Edwin." he responded, smiling. "Viper gave me hwim." he was obviously very proud of his plush snake, as he held it up in Ethan's face so he could see it better.
"Mama down wike it. But she wet me kweep it." Edwin pulled Viper back into a tight hold against his chest and giggled. "You wike snakes?" he asked.

Kiara walked in to the Great hall and curiously made her way to the head table and quickly looked under her chair to see was there.

A dark brown envelope had been secured to the bottom of the cushion with a bonding charm.

Kiara muttered a quick charm to cancel the bonding charm and picked up the envelope.

Curious she opened it and look in side.

Inside lay a Rubik's cube and a note.

"Solve the puzzle and the next clue will be yours..."

Kiara smiled and sighed " He has no Idea how much these thing annoy me..." she mumbled.

"Why do I get the feeling he is testing me or something" she said as she sat at her seat and fiddled with the cube.

Finally she sighed with relief 30 minutes later as she solved the cube.

"Now what Ran?" she asked waiting for something to happen.

A message appeared on the cube's surface, charmed to appear when it was solved.

"On this one often puts one's head... or may prop up one's feet instead."

Kiara skratched her head "Okay.... ummm a pillow?" she asked, It sounded like a pillow.

"Do I need to go to a pillow or what? Which pillow?" she asked even though there was no one there.

"erm... you are testing me I know it" she whispered.

Ciaran escorted Kiara into the Great Hall for breakfast. "So what shall we be eating this morning?" he asked, chuckling as he pulled out Kiara's chair for her.

Kiara nodded with a smile on her face "very well, I should eat something huh? fanlly winding down after this hellish few day" she said as she sat down.

"Thank you" she nodded for the pulled out seat.

As she summonded some tea,

"Tea this morning love?" she asked.

"Aye, that'll be lovely." Ciaran nodded, seating himself. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off as Horatio burst into the Great Hall.

"There you two are!" he shouted, bounding up to the table. "I have a plan that you both will just love. We are going camping! So pack on up and be out in front of the castle in two hours." He kissed Kiara's cheek and patted Ciaran's arm and then turned and ran from the room.

Ciaran dropped his fork and looked over at Kiara. "That was unexpected." he chuckled.

Kiara blinked and nodded "Yes, not many people go camping in winter.... but he seemed really exicted about something didn't. wonder what is up?" she said grabing something she could eat quickly.

"Yes, well I suppose we have to get packed after breakfast then." he muttered, digging into his plate of food. "Tav can go stay with my parents. I'm not thinking camping in the snow would be too high on his list of likes." he chuckled.

Kiara nodded while thinking to her self "Lucky Tav"

"Not really on mine either, I have never been actaully camping before, least of all in winter..... but it seems he is up to something and at the moment my curiousity is slightly out wiaeghing my dislike of the cold" she said.

"But only just.... and there better not be a blizard" she mumbled.

"Oh well, Horatio wants a winter wonderland advanture I guess he is getting one"

Kiara was in the great hall having some tea when a eagal swooped in to the hall and landed right in fornt of her is carried a letter adressed to her.

"Hmm... I don't recongnise you.." she said as she went to take the letter of the birds leg.

The it seemed the moment the she removed the letter the bird reached out his talons and cut her hand.

"Ow! What the bloody hell..." she said as she shot glare at the bird.

A drop of her blood dropped in the the letter and it unfolded its self, allowing only those of her blood to read it.

Reading it through she frowned and took out a blood quill and scratched a reaponse.. she didn't seem to happy about it.

She roughly tied it back to the eagal, giving it on last glare. Before it took off and flew away.

Sighing she finished her tea and rose with out another word left the great hall..

((going to hogsmeade))