Professor DeLanquar's Personal Chambers (located in Gryffind

Eglantine just stared at Viper. Self-defense? Defending myself? Kill my son? What the bloody hell was Viper talking about.

She is lying Cerise whispered. Eglantine blocked the voice before it could continue, but she was shaken nonetheless.
"I am still sorry. He was all you had left."

Viper nodded silently. "Yes, he was..." Not really knowing what to say.

Eglantine reached for the fallen handkerchief.
"Now what are you going to do?" she asked, dabbing at the lavender blanket's blood dotted surface.

Viper raised an eyebrow. "Sorry? I don't quite understand..."

"Are you going to kill me? Forgive me? Rant at me?" Eglantine's soft voice remained steady despite her fear.

"Kill you: no, despite one of my family's motto. Rant at you: why? neither of us have the energy for that and what purpose would it serve? Forgive you: for what? Defending yourself and your son against an attack?" Viper asked in confusion.

"Professor," she said softly. "It was my brother's fault...you did what anyone would, why would I expect anything more?"

Eglantine was silent. She didn't have the energy to think out what she should say. Finally she smiled softly.
"Then perhaps we can put this behind us." She hated the idea of Viper hating her... they already had a strange enough relationship.

((have to go. park time...))

Viper inhaled sharply. "Of course." forcing herself to smile slightly she added. "I would hate to have to to feel guilty everytime I mess with you."

She sighed. "Please, understand though, Professor. This will take time...in fact, I'm going to ask Kiara for some time off to settle everything."

Eglantine nodded. "I was thinking of doing the same." she muttered. It would be nice to get away from everything for a week or so...of course her classes were a problem, but Juria had volunteered to fill in if she was needed.

Viper scoffed as she stood to gaze out the window. "Poor Kiara. How will she manage with her two heads of houses missing?" she laughed softly. "The Gryffindors and Slytherins will murder each other in the Great Hall."

Eglantine cringed. "If you put it that way... I suppose I can be on my feet by tomorrow." She was already worried about Kiara. Having put her through too much already, Eglantine was afraid that she had already lost her friend.
"I have a cousin in Nice who would probably be willing to watch Edwin for me."

Viper raised an eyebrow from the windowsill. "What happened to Tibby?"

Eglantine sighed. "An unforgivable. I supposed I did it...but now..." she let the words hang in the air.

Viper cringed. Of course Dracovan had done it. She felt a stab of guilt as she remembered telling her brother how much that elf irritated her.

Wanting to change the subject, she asked a question that had always lingered in her mind. "What are we, Professor?"

Raising an eyebrow, Eglantine muffled a coughing fit with her hand.
"We are teachers." she responded, wondering if that was indeed the answer Viper wanted.

Viper shook her head. "No, I mean what are we? Friends, enemies, rivals...? I've yet to find a word that defines our relationship."

"Friendly rivals?" Eglantine offered. She had thought about the same question herself. "Ironically we have just enough in common to be friends and just enough opposite to be rivals."

Viper smiled slightly. "Indeed...but when it gets right to it, what are we? Are we firends willing to help the other out, or are we rivals taking glee at the other's demise?"

"The first sounded nicer." Eglantine responded, seriously. She took no delight in Viper's pain...but she could not help but wonder if Viper did.

((If the sever would stop giving out I might be able to post))

Kiara knocked on the portrait, she was curious as to how the meeting with Viper went and she wanted to make sure Eglantine was doing alright.

"Is she alright for a visiter? asked the protrait.

((Viper is still here, yes? no?))

The nymph shook her head and shrugged her slender shoulders. "She would think so..." she stated, sounding depressed. "I personally think she is dying."

((well Concidering KofD is asleep for the night, this could be a few hours after Viper left))

Kiara looked worried and said "let me in so I can see her then"

((Okay))

The painting swung open for Kiara and the nymph slowly began to dance in circles.

Kiara walked of to Eglantines bedroom and pushed to door opened as she knocked at the same time.

"Eglantine it's Kiara, May I come in?"