December 30, 2027

Rossa followed Demyan and Lara there families Kitchen, she wasn't to sure what to say as because her unexpected arrival they had to stay in the kitchen and Demyan didn't seem to happy about that.

As she followed she looked around the halls of Viper manor, and for some reason the feeling seemed different. Perhaps it was because she had been uninvited and showed up unexpectedly.

It felt weird.

So lost in her own thoughts, Viper failed to hear the sound of her husband emerging from the fireplace, only noticing his prescence when she relaxed into his embrace. She nodded silently at his report before brushing off his compliment with a dissatisfied shake of her head. "If only..." she trailed off in a whispered tone, gently resting her head against Sevastyan's. If only she had taken those healing courses. If only she had forgone the questions and brought Eglantine insider straight away. If only she were a better Potions Mistress...

However, an verwhelming feeling of relief coursed through Viper as color started to come back to her complexion upon the older woman's awakening. "Professor? How are you feeling?" she asked, observing Eglantine carefully. Noticing the look Eglantine gave the IV and that she looked rather cold, Viper conjured a blanket, handing it to Eglantine, before explaining reassuringly. "It's a supplementary potion, Professor. Nothing more."

Raven eyebrows rose at Eglantines use of Viper's given name, honestly suprised by the gesture. Despite the years of working together, their relationship hadn't gone too far beyond the colleague zone, to the point where formal titles were still used. In no way did it bother her, however. Far from it, in fact. A small smile lit Viper's face. "You're welcome." she returned softly.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


As they all made their way into the kitchen, Lara turned to Rossa with a curious expression before taking a seat at a nearby barstool. "So wha'cha guys doing here, Rossa? Where're the rest of your family?"

[In the Kitchens...]

Praskovya Kaminski had just finished the traditional remedy her family had used for generations to quell the symptoms of the flu. It was all-natural, and thus accidental overdose would not be a major concern. She looked up when the three children entered the kitchen and smiled, but said nothing so as not to interrupt.


Demyan climbed into a similar bar stool, not nearly as miffed now as when he'd spoken to his father. He made eye contact with Rossa and then looked to the barstool between him and Lara, smiling: an invitation for her to join them. "Is everything okay?" Demyan asked, adding his question to Lara's.


** ** ** ** **


Sevastyan sighed when Amaranth relaxed into his arms, put at ease that the contact provided her at least some form of comfort. However, the shake of her head and the whispered pair of words slightly deflated his peace of mind. Raven brows knitted with concern. He wanted to say something to try and soothe her worry, but couldn't find the words. There were a lot of 'if only's of his own that suddenly sprang to mind. "...You do vot you can. That is all anyvone can ask..." Sevastyan offered, slightly tightening his embrace and willing his wife to not beat herself over 'should haves'.

When Eglantine awoke, Sevastyan lessened his hold on Amaranth in case she needed to tend to her, keeping himself little more than an arm's length away. But for now he felt his place was not amidst this conversation. So, instead, he summoned a House-elf and spoke to it in hushed tones to tell Rossa that one of her parents would be coming for her soon. With a nod of its head, the elf left Sevastyan's side and appeared with a crack in the kitchen. That task done, he returned to standing at Amaranth's shoulder, observing their colleague carefully but casually.

Horatio's head appeared in the fireplace. "Sevastyan!" he called, a raspy quiver to his deep voice due to his extreme worry for his wife. He felt only worry and fear. Already cursing himself for forcing Eglantine to flee from his prying. Her trances always frightened him... her pregnancy especially after her miscarriage had beyond terrified him. And the combination of the two, kept him constantly worrying...constantly on high alert.
Around their home, he treated her as if she was a vase made of delicate glass. And in her fatigue and continuing desire for silence and solitude, Eglantine hardly seemed to notice... something that worried him even further.

---

Eglantine smiled gently as Viper handed her the blanket and she draped it around her cold shoulders. She finally noticed that Sevastyan was present as well. Her vision had begun to dim, mainly due to her many years of odd potion smokes and dark ancient spells. Horatio had been pestering her into getting glasses, but Eglantine always managed to put it off just long enough to have him forget it. Besides, she often told herself, with her cane, her occasional present wheelchair, her greying hair and shaking hands...she hardly needed glasses added to the equation...

Conjuring her cane, with her rapidly returning strength, Eglantine slowly moved to pull herself to her feet. Her shaking hands resisted the cane's handle and her body hardly left the transfigured bed.

Rossa shrugged to show she didn't the answer to there question.

"I am really not sure, I got lot out in the snow storm and grandmama found me, I thought she was going to take me home. Instead she took me here not sure why yet though"

She looked at Demyan at his question, she wasn't sure about that either anymore, if everything was alright or not, if it was why would her grandmother take her here?

"I am not sure about that either..... Grandmama seemed like she was sick though" she muttered and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She jumped slightly when the house elf appeared and told her the one of her parents would becoming to get her.

She breathed out slightly in relief at least she knew her parents were alright.

Then she jumped again when she heard her from what is sounded like her Grandpapa's voice, he sounded worried.

"Thats Grandpapa" Rossa said.

Viper nodded silently, seeing the logic in Sevastyan's words and the comfort, and acknowledging it with a gentle squeeze of his hand. Yet she still couldn't help but beat herself up over her limited competence in this matter. Perfectionism at its worst...

Green eyes darted to the fireplace at the sound of Horatio's voice echoing through before returning to Eglantine who was rising to her feet. Reluctantly moving away from Sevastyan, she approached Eglantine, intending to halt her rising form. "Professor, perhaps its best if you wait a moment. After all, you've just regained consciousness and the IV hasn't run its course yet."


~~~~~~~~~~~


Lara nodded in reply to Rossa's answer, looking thoughtful, hoping Professor Delanquar was alright. After all, she was always really nice. She tilted her head towards the door as she heard the sound of a man's voice calling out for her daddy.

"Should we go back outside?" Lara asked the other two, looking to her grandmother to see if she knew what to do. Under normal circumstances, Lara would normally just march on ahead, back out into the sitting area, but judging by how worried everyone else seemed, she decided it would be best to think about it for a moment.

Sevastyan, out of reflex, glanced downward upon feeling the gentle squeeze and smiled a small smile even though he couldn’t see their entwined hands. The wizard rested his head against his wife’s while Eglantine seemed to be regaining her strength, but turned the moment he heard his name called by the familiar, albeit raspy voice of Horatio McKevin.

It was with reluctance that he parted company with Amaranth and approached the fireplace, gently caressing her shoulder before they were completely out of reach of each other. Amaranth had Eglantine to tend to, so it was best all around. Besides, there would be time enough for further comforting and affections later that evening.

It was with this thought in mind, not to mention a bit of worry, that Sevastyan seated himself before the fireplace to address Horatio. “Kiara said somevone vould call ven you and Ciaran got in. Is everything all right there? ... Professor DeLanquar has just avoken, and Amaranth is seeing to her,” Sevastyan asked, and then reported. He couldn’t help but note that the mode in which he’d delivered this information seemed very much like a certain Herbology professor he knew.

* . * . * . *

Demyan also nodded upon hearing Rossa’s reply, looking both concerned and pensive for a five year old. Perhaps here was just closer? The child really had no idea. However, the moment she said her grandmother was sick, Demyan immediately shifted his gaze toward the living room for a moment. He hoped Professor DeLanquar was okay, for she was a pleasant woman to be around. She and the guy who insisted on being called ‘Horatio’ instead of ‘Professor’ by certain people were always nice to him and his sisters.

Then Demyan heard said person call out his papa’s name. He had no idea what was going on, but knew there had to be something up for his father to send them all into the kitchen. But whatever was up, he hoped things would go back to normal soon. Seeing people hurt or sad didn’t set well with the kid.

At Lara’s question, Demyan shivered reflexively, and then shrugged. He wasn’t overly fond of the cold, but if they were playing they would at least be keeping moderately warm...

* . * . * . *

Praskovya Kaminski looked between the three children, rather concerned about the little one that had gotten lost in the snow storm. “It is good your babushka found you, dear. You both are velcome here, no need to vorry,” she stated in an attempt to comfort the poor child. If Praskovya herself had been in such a situation so young, she figured she’d be a bit scared, too. “Everything vill be fine.”

Kindly brown eyes met their granddaughter’s emerald ones. If little Rossalyn had just come in from outside, she probably wouldn’t feel like going back out into the tundra. But then again, children were unpredictable like that. “If you vould like to, you may. Just be careful not disrupt everyvone in there,” she said, gesturing to the sitting room with a nod of her head since her hands were busy.

“Or, if you three vould like to help me make a batch of cookies... or пончик. Have you ever had ponchik, dear?” Praskovya suggested as an alternative. The question was obviously focused to Rossa, for she had made ponchik – basically a donut hole-like treat – for Lara and Demyan before.