Professor DeLanquar's Personal Chambers (located in Gryffind

"Oh stop holding her back, Lenty!" Esis whined. "Let her transfigure right now. I'm dying to see the bird."

Eglantine shook her head. It was still too early. "Be quiet, Esis." she muttered, never taking her eyes off of Diana. "Miss Casillas you will now need to read extensively on birds in general. Of course when you do transfigure, some things such as flying will come naturally. But there is never any harm in being prepared"

Diana nodded. She'd already read one or two things about birds. They were her favorite animal. "Is there anything specific you'd like me to consider while reading?" Diana asked.

"Yes...try to picture yourself as the bird and doing various activities as one."

Diana blinked and burst out laughing. "I'm sorry Professor, the term 'bird-brain' suddenly past my mind."

Eglantine smiled. "Then you probably shouldn't dig to deeply into the bird mind..." she stated, ignored Esis who was laughing loudly.

"You have a great sense of humour." Esis chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye. She yawned. "Maybe you'll be a parrot or something."

"Oh I hope not." Diana said suddenly worried. "Someone I used to know had a parrot, I'm afraid she ruined them for me for good. Of all of the bird species I like them the least. I mean, the tropical parrots in the wild are beautiful and everything... but the ones that are... domesticated... they're quite annoying."

"Ignore Esis, Miss Casillas. You will not turn into a parrot." Eglantine shot a disapproving glare at her cousin who just shrugged. "Rest assured that you are intelligent enough to transfigure into a different bird."

"If you don't mind," Diana said. "How did it feel like when you first transformed?"

Eglantine sighed. "It feels liberating and confining at the same time. You feel as if you have been transplanted into a different body and yet you know it is yours. But the instant the fear begins you feel at peace. It is one of the greatest moments in your life and you will remember it forever."

"That sounds wonderful," Diana sighed in admiration.

Then she remembered something. "Er... Professor? I think my cousin Nicolas told you something about an engagement?" Diana wanted to clear it all off.

"Yes, he mentioned it." Eglantine sighed.

"Yes, I'd just like to say it didn't happen." Diana said. "In case you were wondering."

A glimmer of confusion passed over Eglantine's face and then she raised an eyebrow. "I see." she stated.

Esis rolled her eyes. "So, Romeo came through eh? Congratulations! Just don't be taking any potions and stabbing yourself, 'kay."

"I won't..." Diana blushed nodding at Esis words.

"Well, I suppose if that is all..."

"Yeah." Esis sighed. "Us old ladies, or at least this old lady." she patted her chest. "Needs to get to bed. Else she'll be dead tomorrow." Yawning as if to prove her point, she winked at Diana. "Good night, love."

Eglantine wandlessly opened the door for Diana, and gave her a smile.
"You are doing very well, Miss Casillas. Please feel free to come again tomorrow. You may be ready to transfigure sooner than I thought."

"Good night Professor." Diana said leaving the room.

"Good night, Miss Casillas." Eglantine replied, closing the door. She glanced over at Esis who had conveniently chosen to fall asleep at that moment. "I know you are not asleep, Lachesis." Eglantine warned. Esis cracked her eyes open, looking extremely innocent.

"Me? Not asleep? What are you talking about?" she smiled broadly. "Are we off to bed then, dearie?" she rose from the couch-bed. "Come on I'll help ya."

Eglantine nodded, following Esis unto her bedroom. With a bit of magic and a great deal of begging from Esis, the tired Transfiguration professor found herself in bed, surrounded by a million pillows.
"Nightie night, sleep tight!" Esis sang, all but waltzing out of the room. Eglantine sighed and closed her eyes.

Already the sound of Excessum Neci and the sight of ashes were playing in her mind...

Meanwhile, as his mother tossed fitfully in her bed and Esy snored and muttered in her sleep, Edwin climbed out of his crib. His targeted destination had already been logged and within moments he was toddling down the hallway, having closed the bedroom door behind him. He had the whole castle to explore and no adult to interfere.

((continued from Entrance Hall))

Instead of laying Edwin down in his crib, Esis sat him down on the couch and began to pack up her bags.

Eglantine entered only moments later, saying nothing.

"Lenty, are you sure you are well enough? I mean I can take care of Edwin, but what about you. Can you take care of yourself?" Esis asked, barely seen in the whirl of items magically whipping into her suitcase, which was charmed to be bottomless.

"Yes, now it would be better if Edwin went with you to Nice. He likes you and it will be safer." Eglantine said softly, her gaze drifting to her son.

Esis shrugged. "You are not making much of an argument, Lenty. I suppose I just have to agree and go, eh?" Eglantine nodded.

Sighing deeply, Esis shrunk the crib and watched as it floated into the suitcase. The room was now totally devoid of any signs that Lachesis had ever lived there...along with Edwin's presence.

"I'll write you everyday." Esis said, for once her booming voice soft. Clearing her throat she picked up a very sleepy Edwin. "Take care of yourself, Lenty. And give my best to Kiara and Viper."

Eglantine nodded, allowing Esis to kiss both of her cheeks in French departure style and patting Edwin's cheek.

It was not until they had disappeared into the fireplace's green flames that Eglantine sighed and covered her face with her hands. Even in solitude, she refused to show the tears coursing down her face.

((Takes place the day after staff meeting))

The next morning found an unconscious Eglantine lying in front of the fireplace. She had no memory of how she had ended up there. Pain forced her to remain crumpled on the hard floor and she moved her head slightly to locate her wheelchair.

It was sitting right behind her as if she had merely slide out of it. Without much thought, Eglantine came to the conclusion that after she had returned to her room from Kiara's office, she had fallen asleep and fallen.

She could feel her legs, but they were not strong enough to support her body. The throbbing hip made it impossible for her to attempt to stand and her energy was too low to levitate herself into the chair. Why had she sent Esis back to Nice again? Hoping that perhaps the nymph that "guarded" her rooms might notice something was wrong, Eglantine groaned.

Sometime during the night before she had taken her hair down and now it served as a pillow of sorts. Lying paralized on the floor of her sitting room was doing wonders to her pride and after almost two hours of waiting for help, she was getting desperate. Surely someone would notice that she had missed breakfast...

Finally in an effort to entertain herself she began to recite bits of poetry that she had taught to her Beauxbatons students.

"[i]The Lay of the Last Minstrel by Sir Walter Scott


The way was long, the wind was cold,
The Minstrel was infirm and old;
His wither'd cheek, and tresses gray,
Seem'd to have known a better day;
The harp, his sole remaining joy,
Was carried by an orphan boy.
The last of all the Bards was he,
Who sung of Border chivalry;
For, welladay! their date was fled,
His tuneful brethren all were dead;
And he, neglected and oppress'd,
Wish'd to be with them, and at rest.
No more on prancing palfrey borne,
He caroll'd, light as lark at morn;
No longer courted and caress'd,
High placed in hall, a welcome guest,
He pour'd, to lord and lady gay,
The unpremeditated lay:
Old times were changed, old manners gone;
A stranger filled the Stuarts' throne;
The bigots of the iron time
Had call'd hs harmless art a crime.
A wandering Harper, scorn'd and poor,
He begg'd his bread from door to door.
And timed, to please a peasant's ear,
The harp, a king had loved to hear.
He pass'd where Newark's stately tower
Looks out from Yarrow's birchen bower:
The Minstrel gazed with wishful eye--
No humbler resting-place was nigh,
With hesitating step at last,
The embattled portal arch he ass'd,
Whose ponderous grate and massy bar
Had oft roll'd back the tide of war,
But never closed the iron door
Against the desolate and poor.
The Duchess marked his weary pace,
His timid mien, and reverend face,
And bade her page the menials tell,
That they should tend the old man well:
For she had known adversity,
Though born in such a high degree;
In pride of power, in beauty's bloom,
Had wept o'er Monmouth's bloody tomb!
When kindness had his wants supplied,
And the old man was gratified,
Began to rise his minstrel pride:
And he began to talk anon,
Of good Earl Francis, dead and gone,
And of Earl Walter, rest him, God!
A braver ne'er to battle rode;
And how full many a tale he knew,
Of the old warriors of Buccleuch:
And, would the noble Duchess deign
To listen to an old man's strain,
Though stiff his hand, his voice though weak,
He thought even yet, the sooth to speak,
That, if she loved the harp to hear,
He could make music to her ear.
The humble boon was soon obtain'd;
The Aged Minstrel audience gain'd.
But, when he reach'd the room of state,
Where she, with all her ladies, sate,
Perchance he wished his boon denied:
For, when to tune his harp he tried,
His trembling hand had lost the ease,
Which marks security to please;
And scenes, long past, of joy and pain,
Came wildering o'er his aged brain--
He tried to tune his harp in vain!
The pitying Duchess praised its chime,
And gave him heart, and gave him time,
Till every string's according glee
Was blended into harmony.
And then, he said, he would full fain
He could recall an ancient strain,
He never thought to sing again.
It was not framed for village churls,
But for high dames and mighty carls;
He had play'd it to King Charles the Good,
When he kept court in Holyrood,
And much he wish'd yet fear'd to try
The long-forgotten melody.
Amid the strings his fingers stray'd,
And an uncertain warbling made,
And oft he shook his hoary head.
But when he caught the measure wild,
The old man raised his face, and smiled;
And lighten'd up his faded eye,
With all a poet's ecstasy!
In varying cadence, soft or strong,
He swept the sounding chords along:
The present scene, the future lot,
His toils, his wants, were all forgot:
Cold diffidence, and age's frost,
In the full tide of song were lost;
Each blank in faithless memory void,
The poet's glowing thought supplied;
And while his harp responsive rung,
'Twas thus the Latest Minstrel sung.../i]"

((I'll spare you the other six cantos...))

Kiara walked up to Eglantines Quarters, she wasn't there at breakfast and was alittle worried that something might be wrong.

Looking up at the nymph portrait Kiara asked "Is professor DeLanguar in her Quarters?"

The forest nymph raised a slender eyebrow. "Yes, she is. Do you have the password?" Obviously, Eglantine had had a long chat with her guardian painting about letting people into her rooms.

Kiara nodded "Les larmes d'hiver" she said, she believed that was what Eglantine had changed it to.

The forest nymph nodded her head and twirled around in a delicate swirl as the painting peeled back and the door clicked open.


Eglantine had already finished the Lay of the Last Minstrel and now was tiredly muttering a few verses of Shakespeare.

"...Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dread thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renowned be thy grave."

((The last two stanzas of Fear No More...))

The click of the door opening silenced her and she could only hope it was not a student...then again, she would have taken Grindleward himself, if he would help her up.

Kiara peered inside knocking on the wall to alert Eglantine that she was there.

"Eglantine? is everything alright in here, missed you at breakfast"

((she can't Eglantine on the floor))

Eglantine attempted to pull herself up again, but failed. "Kiara." she groaned.