Casillas Manor ~July 25, 2025~

Just a small gathering of friends over Dinner.

Diana moved busily about the kitchen trying to finish off cooking. She technically had Killa the House-elf to do the cooking... and well everything else, but she just wanted to do something with her hands to get her mind of off things... In fact, since last June, she's practically put Killa out of business, much to the Elf's dismay.

So to get the Elf off of her back she gave him something to do, and that was babysit Fitz and Eliza upstairs.

Kiara apparited with Rossa in her arms, Rossa the two year old almost 3 clung to her mother, she didn't like appariting it made her dizzy and it scared her.

"Shhh sweaty, it is alright, I am sorry I know you don't like doing that, but I don't have a choice" she said as she walked up to the door of the young charms Professor, curious as to what this was about and she knocked.

A sounding bell that indicated that there was someone at the door scared her a little and she looked at the kitchen clock. 'Hmm... that must be the Headmistress...' Diana thought.

"Killa!" Diana called out and soon enough, the House-Elf popped in.

"Please put these at the table." Diana said to him, gesturing at the dishes.

"Yes, Mistress..." Killa replied eagerly.

Diana removed her apron and made her way to the door.

She peaked at the peep hole, but it was useless really. If anyone who wanted to do any harm went up to their door... well there were very strong charms surrounding the door so that they wouldn't even get with in several metres to the door.

"Headmistress!" Diana said opening the door to Kiara and Rossa. "Please come inside!"

Kiara smiled and walked in pulling back the hood off her head. "Thank you Diana, and I have told you don't need to call me Headmistress anymore, you not a student anymore"

Rossa looked up at Diana curiously, she was a timid child but not overly shy.

"Have you met my daughter yet? This is Rossalyn McConn, or Rossa for short" she said.

"So how have you been doing?" Kiara asked.

Diana smiled sheepishly when the Headmiss- Kiara reproached her. "Sorry... I still can't get used to it..." It was true. She still felt it rather odd to call Kiara, Kiara and not Headmistress.

"I am fine." She answered Kiara's question superficially.

Diana turned her attention to Rossalyn. "Rossalyn, what a pretty name." Diana gave her a small smile. "You know I think you're just about Elizabeth's age. How old is she?"

Kiara smiled, and laughed "I still can't get used to being called Headmistress so that makes both of us"

Rossa smiled at Diana, and Kiara laughed, " she is two, be three in October though. isn't that right Rossy" she said as she tickle the little girl on her side.

"Are Nick and the Kids doing okay? " she asked.

Diana nodded. "They're great." Diana said with a sigh wishing that she could say so for herself. They'd all adjusted really well and she... well she felt rather sick to be honest.

Not wanting Kiara to think she was pathetically miserable she decided to expand on Nick and the kids. "Nick's actually great with Elizabeth and William... surprisingly enough." She said rather amazed at how her cousin decided to mature. "He's been great to me too. I just wish I..."

She decided to change the topic.
"Rossa, would you like to go up to Will and Eliza?"

After a flash and a slight tugging sensation on her navel from the portkey, Viper stood before the door of Casillas Manor with her six-month-old daughter Ethelinda or Lynn as her siblings had lovingly nicknamed her, sleeping in her arms. A soft smile appeared on the Potions Mistress face as grey eyes met green.

"Hey, butterfly." she greeted her newly awakened daughter, smoothing the blonde bangs. As Lynn was born a Metamorphmagus, her hair color and, on occassion her eye color changed colors, much to her parent's amusement.

Lynn grinned happily in return, curling into Viper's chest, though her eyes moved around, observing the unfamiliar surroundings. Suporting her daughter with one hand, Viper raised her other hand and knocked on the door.

Kiara nodded happy to hear the children were alright, since there parents died. "Thats good" she said.

Her eye brow rose in concern at the end of Diana's statment, and was about to ask what was on her mind when she talked to Rossa.

Rossa tilted her head "Wil and Eliza?" she asked in a small voice.

Kiara smiled "I think she would love to meet them Diana" she said then she heard the knock on the door.

"Killa," Diana called out and the House-Elf appeared.

"Rossa, this is Killa, the House-Elf, he'll show you where Will and Eliza are playing."

"Oh yes little Miss, Killa knows where Master Will and Mistress Eliza are." Killa said nodding riddiculusly.

A small ringing noise stated that someone was at the door yet again. Diana peered at the peep-hole, as was her habit and she opened it to Amarath Viper and her daughter. "Come in, Professor." Diana said.

"Hello, Diana. How are you?" Viper smiled as she stepped into the Manor. Lynn smiled herself in greeting, her eyes scanning the surroundings, excited by the different surroundings. "Hey, Kiara. Have you been here long?" Viper asked, wondering if she was late.

"Pretty well..." Diana answered. "Aww, Lara's not with you? Will will be disappointed." Diana closed the door behind Viper.

Viper laughed softly in response. She had noticed the two kids had interracted together during the little playdates. "No, she and her brother and father are in midst of a rather intense game of hide-and-seek at the moment. Perhaps later on she'll be here." she replied. "And really, Diana, please do drop the 'Professor' title. I like you, remember? There's no need for formalities." she added jokingly.

Viper arrived and she nodded her head to the potions Mistress.

"I only just got here a minute ago Viper" she then saw Lynn.

"Hello there Lynn." she said with a smile, "She had grown so much since I last saw her"

Kiara put Rossa down so she could go and meet the other kids. However Rossa clung to her mothers robes and stared at the house elf nervously.

Kiara smiled and place her hand on top of Rossa's head. "It's alright sweetheart, you can go with Killa, she won't hurt ya"

Rossa still looked unsure as she took a step forward and looked back to her mother.

Kiara smiled, "Its okay Rossa, I will be here, you can go and play" she said gently.

That last bit made Diana chuckle a little. "Yes well, I still find it very difficult to call you two by your given names..."

"Yes Miss. Killa won't hurt you Miss. Master Will and Mistress Eliza will be happy to see you Miss." Killa said helpfully.

"Amarath," Diana said testing the name out. "Do you want Killa to take Lynn too? She'll be safe in his arms, I can assure you."

Viper nodded in comprehension to Kiara as Lynn smiled at the familiar faces. "Same with Rossalyn. She must have grown inches since I last saw her."

She smiled at Diana's use of her given name and politely declined the offer. "That is quite kind of you, but I actually need to feed Lynn at the moment." she replied, conjuring a hovering bottle.

That was partially true for at this point, Lynn was more than capable to feeding herself, both magically and non-magically. In truth, she had grown rather fond of and used to holding a baby close to her or on her lap and did so as much as possible, especially considering her working schedule and the fact she didn't have as much time with her children as she would prefer.

"Alright then," Diana nodded in understanding.

"The Dinning Room is that way," Diana said pointing to the Hall. "Rossa, Will and Eliza will be eating upstairs if you'd like to join them... they seem to not want to leave the little play house that Dar..." Diana found she wasn't able to finish the last sylable of his name. She covered it with a cough. "... made for them."

Rossa timidly went with the house elf, although she was still alittle scared... she wanted to stay with her mother in the unfamiliar house.

Kiara nodded, although she was a little iffy about letting Rossa eat unsupervised, she was only a two year old afterall, things got rather messy. She was nervous lettig her little girl go out of her sight at all. But she had to remind herself she would be fine underthe watch of the house elf.

"I might call Rossa down here to eat, just so I can make sure she eats her dinner... Sometimes she gets fussy over her food" she said.

Kiara bit her lip as she caught Diana about to say Darien. Yes she had heard of the sudden departure of Darien Vaight, and how it must of hurt Diana for him to leave..

Killa timidly lead the young girl upstairs.

"That'll be no problem." Diana said amicably, heading to the Dinning room. "Killa's just one shout away."

She yawned and caught herself. “Sorry, I just feel so tired lately…”

Kiara nodded to Viper, "Yes she is growing up fast, all the kids are actually, seems like only yesterday when you had Laraissa.." she said with a smile.

Then she looked at Diana in concern, "Trouble sleeping?" she asked as they went to the dinning room.

"You could say that..." Diana sighed hesitantly. The truth was, she found herself unable to sleep on most nights. She'd get horrible dreams in the night. Only falling in sweet stupor when the sun was well in the sky. But that was all right, she sleep most of the day off anyway. It was just fatigue... "I think I'm just exhausted."

She was rather touched by Kiara's concern and she'd half a mind to tell her old Headmistress about all her troubles. Before she did that though, she remembered herself. "I made some Paella." She said changing the topic. "My dad's secret recipe."

Kiara nodded still moderatly concerned for her former student, she decided to talk to the younger woman before she left after dinner.

"It sounds great Diana....."

"Umm are you sure you are feeling alright?" she asked.

"Yes," Diana said giving Kiara a smile so she wouldn't have to worry. The very smile she gave to her mother when she asked what was wrong, to her father, to her Grandfather, to everyone else.

Viper raised an eyebrow as she handed the bottle to Lynn, feeding her. She had similar symptoms as Diana had described... Although due to a different cause. In fact, the cause of the symptoms was innocently drinking at her bottle at the moment.

"So how've the kids been?" she asked, hoping to steer the conversation into a lighter tone.