My Office

"Blunt is an understatement." Eglantine muttered remembering how he had basically invaded her rooms and dragged her out into the Forbidden Forest to destroy her father's research. She had not found him "intriguing". Rather she had made a monumental effort to stay away from him since then... he was loud, irritating and prying.

"I take it by your tone the meeting with him didn't go well then?" Kiara asked she had a feeling Horatio had made a rather bad first impression.

"Well? It went perfectly according to plan... he showed up unannounced in my rooms. Practically frightened me to death and then demanded I destroy years of important work." Her voice had yet to raise, but she was basically hissing each word. "If that is not enough, he wants to watch me destroy the items. And then as soon as it is destroyed he skips back to the castle and bids me good night having the audacity to wonder if I would accompany him to the Yule Ball."

"Needless to say I turned him down and still he persisted. Finally my exact response to his question was Marbhfháisc ort!" she blushed with anger and embarrassment. It was a rarity that she swore, much less in Gaelic. "I might have added a few other choice phrases as well...Titim gan éirí ort...and he bowed out."

Kiara slapped her hand on her head. "When I said for him to go and talk to you I did not think he would handle it like that.... perhaos should have accompanied him to speak with you"

It did bother her greatly that he entered Eglantines rooms without permission and without her even being in them.

"He said he had not wanted to be seen...and with further thought, I probably overreacted..." Eglantine admitted. "He meant no offense I'm sure." Anxious to change to topic, afraid that Kiara might ask about the research, Eglantine cleared her throat.

"Adoration, my cat is having kittens soon."

"Hmm I will have to have chat with him about going into privet quarters, he could have just as easily gone to you office ..." Kiara said showing she clearly disaproved of Horatio's actoins.

At the change of the topic Kiara perked up "Oh really? how soon?"

"A week maybe less. Of course I am not certain what to do with the kittens..." she stated, obviously hinting at something.

Kiara laughed "Are you trying to ask if I would want one?"

"Would you like one? Kittens are not much work and they mostly require a bit of food and a hand or two to play with." She glanced over at Saturn. "Of course, the kitten may try to eat your familiar..." With good reason, she thought. The bird did look rather appetizing...she quickly cleared her mind of the feline thoughts. Different smells and images often brought out the cat in her.

Kiara smirked at Saturns undignified look at being classifed as food by Eglantine.

"Don't worry, it would not be the first time she had been chased by a over exiable kitten. She can take care of her self"

"Speaking of taking care of one's self." Eglantine began, unconsciously playing with a chess piece in her shaking hand. "Mr. Vaight has been attending his detentions with me. Something about animagi control help... I am sure you have heard about his inability to control his transfigurations..."

Kiara nodded "Yes I have had the opportunaity to meet Mr. Vaights other half. How are his detentions with you going?" Kiara asked.

"Well, so far I've learned that according to male adolescents, "Yup" and "Uh-huh" are appropriate answers to questions and can be used in almost any occasion... Mr. Vaight has learned that Professor DeLanquar has yet to accept that those "words" are indeed appropriate..."

"hmm well concider your self lucky, you have not had to deal with his cheek...." Kiara said with mild annoynence in her voice.

"He earned himself a months worth of Detetion with me as well a rather large deduction in house points. From the sound of your detention you had not so bad time of it"

Eglantine was silent.

"What did he do?" she asked finally. Probably fought with Mr. Casillas again...she figured. Maybe the seemingly cocky Gryffindor had even hurt him. Surprised where her thoughts were taking her, she sighed. Here she was the Head of Gryffindor, worrying about a Slytherin student...

"He harmed one of the animals on hogwarts ground to get to Mr. Casillas.... Needless to he wasn't in a good mood coming to my office, I swear I don't think I have had a student talk to me like that before. I was most unnerving, but not to worry I think I found a way to get to him. Did you know we have a black unicorn on these grounds?" kiara asked.

Eglantine raised an eyebrow. Was the boy punished for harming the animal, being spiteful to Mr. Casillas or speaking rudely to Kiara? Only one of the "misdemeanors" seemed worthy of the punishment and still... teenagers had never, in all of history, ever been completely polite to adults.

"No I was not aware of a black unicorn. Will the animal recover? And was Mr. Casillas harmed?" No doubt, the animal was merely growled at and Mr. Casillas, had over-reacted and rushed to have his rival punished. She would have to keep a closer eye on him...

"The animal was treated for her injuies, he attacted while in his wolf form but in his human mind. No Mr Casillas was not injured, as for Mr, Vaights punishment... unprovoked attack of a hogwarts animal is punishable by exspulsion. but since I didn't see what happened I didn't think it was appropriate."

"Any ways I have plan for Mr. Vaights Detentions with our unicorn, he may get something out of it. Other then it being just another detention"

Eglantine nodded, none of her feelings on the matter reflecting on her face. Expelled for harming an animal? And yet harming a student was merely dismissed... No doubt another fine Hogwarts tradition...

"I see. You do realize though that Mr. Casillas may have been exaggerating..." After all Mr. Vaight had "taken away" Mr. Casillas' intended, she added silently.

"Ah normaly I would agree with you, but Mr. Vaight made no attempt to deny it, and he was not sorry he did it in anyway.... and before you form a opinion on how harsh the punishment is for harming an animal here let me explain something. If a animal were to harm a student even minorly, the parents have the right to have the animal but down. There wouldn't be anything I can do about it, that is why it is so harsh."

The she smiled slighly

"Mr Vaight was not a lier though, I will give him that.... "

Eglantine sighed. "Of course they would have the right to put the animal down. Animal life is nothing compared to even the well-being of a child. But I will agree with the punishment, even if it seems harsh. Not for the animal or for Mr. Casillas. But because he insulted you and because you believe the punishment is correct."

She closed her eyes, raising a slender hand to her temple. Her head felt as it two hammers were smashing in her skull from either side.

"Of course he is not a liar. Being Slytherin or a Vaight does not make him anything except a rather misjudged person. I am so tired of the house rivalries. Of fighting and arguing."

Kiara blinked and bit her lip, she hadn't meant for it to sound that way.

"I am sorry Eglantine I didn''t intend to sound as if I expected him to be a lair because he is in Slytherin. It is just he could have easily lied to me I would have no proof to punish him, only his word over another. I was impressed he told me the truth thats all "

"I was never one for the house rivalries ether it is just I am used to it and I keep forgetting you didn't attend Hogwarts. I am sorry"

Eglantine sighed, bringing her hand down from her head.

"I see." she murmured. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Umm"

Looking up at the large grandfather clock in her office she said "Its almost 9.. planing on turning in or do you have something else planned?" Kiara asked.

"No, nothing planned and I was not going to turn in. Curious." Eglantine muttered. Actually she had a potion simmering and another hour would complete it.
"You spoke with Professor Viper?"