Professor Blackthorn's Office

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Professor Blackthorn likes things chilly. Take a jacket. And knock before you enter. It's less painful that way!

The decor is sparse - the office is furnished with a desk and several chairs. The walls are lined with books, apart from some shelves that hold astronomical equipment. On the desk are parchments and quills, arranged neatly, and a celestial globe.

The only personal touch is the photograph of Kaiia and Damon on their wedding day.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Kaiia opened the door of her office, not bothering to pull out her wand, lighting the candles with a gesture of her head. Everything was as she had left it, except that on her desk was a neat pile of papers. She shuffled through them. Several homework assignments - perhaps cleaning the owlery had made an impression on a few students? Or perhaps not, they were both from a student who'd had a legitimate excuse for not handing in the first assignment. She noticed her classlist for the term and picked it up, scanning the names. Partway down the list she stopped, and her face tightened into a frown. So. The Fischer twins had transferred to Hogwarts. Well, they'd soon find out that her rules about using the observatory for unsanctioned activities applied here as much as they had at Durmstrang.

She sat down at her desk, and began to go through the homework assignments. Well, at least Slytherin would get the bonus points for the first person to hand in the assignments. Both from Caeleb Dracus. Kaiia recalled the confrontation she'd had with him just before the end of last term. She'd pointed out the foolishness of advertising his Dark Ties so casually. Curiously, his vehement response had kindled a measure of respect in Kaiia.

Nodding slightly to herself, she picked up a quill, and started to mark the assignments. She needed something to distract her from the empty feeling she had at the prospect of another term stretching out in front of her.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Kaiia opened the door of her office, and waited until Emilia had followed her in before closing it again. "Make yourself comfortable," she said, as she used her wand to light the fire. "Would you like some tea? Or something stronger?" she asked once Emilia was seated.

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia looked up at Kaiia "I wouldn't say no to Firewhiskey" she gave her a slight smile. Her thoughts were racing in her head. Every single time they managed to end with her thinking about Simon. This was not good. Especially when her thoughts started with Kelly. She let out a sigh, looked Kaiia in the eyes and tried to get her mind off to something else. "How have you been? We haven't had a change to chat since the last time. I feel too left out, considering the pretty good start we had." She sent her another flashing smile.

[Emilia Pettigrew]

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Emilia practically flew into the office. She liked the coolness up here. Reminded her of her own office. No, she didn'r want to think about it. It was too late, she had already remembered Kit. She was devestated, so she pulled herself a chair and landed on it, staring outside the window. She hoped Kaiia would finish the feast soon and join her up there, because she started to feel incredibly lonely once again.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

As she walked into her office, the expression on Emilia's face, as she stared out the window, told her that something was very wrong. Well, they'd all been through a lot lately. Without thinking about it, Kaiia rubbed her shoulder.

"Emilia - it's good to see you again," Kaiia said quietly, as she went to the cupboard behind her desk, and took out a bottle of firewhiskey and a couple of glasses.

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia snapped out of her daze, as Kaiia spoke. "Kaiia, darling, it really is good to see you too." She watched her take out a bottle of firewhisky. "Mm, firewhisky sounds good" she smiled at her. "What did you do during the summer holidays anyway? The few letters I got from you were really brief." Her eyes followed Kaiia as she took a seat next to her.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Kaiia's eyes widened - clearly, Emilia hadn't heard about her arrest and trial. Well, she'd obviously had a lot of her own to cope with. She poured out two glasses of firewhiskey, as she said,

"I spent most of the summer as - shall we say - a guest of the Ministry of Magic. Did you know they arrested me after the battle? Since I was trapped in a cage in my animagus form for the whole battle, clearly I was innocent, but they made me go through with a trial. I was acquitted, of course."

Relaxing slightly into her chair, she went on,

"Since I hadn't been convicted, conditions were a little better for me in Azkaban. I was able to send a few letters via people who were visiting other prisoners. But I had to keep them brief and general, otherwise the ministry might have decided I was using them to conspire with someone."

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia's eyes widened. She hadn't known anything about Kaiia being on trial. Then again, she wasn't quite social during the summer herself. "I'm sorry to hear that darling. I can't believe my thoughts were so cut away that I didn't register the fact that you were on trial. I can't believe the ministry could accuse you, even though they knew that you couldn't participate." She took a zip of the firewhisky. Her thoughts started drifting back towards the end of the schoolyear and the battle. She tried to keep herself from it, but she couldn't help it. "Whoelse was on trial, if you don't mind me asking?" she was hoping for that one name to come up, so she kept her eyes curiously on Kaiia, while takinc another zip of her drink.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Kaiia frowned momentarily. To be honest, she hadn't paid much attention to anyone else on trial, but now she came to think of it, she remembered several people she'd either noticed in Azkaban, or heard about.

"I believe Danika Peverell's trial is ongoing. And Charlise Saunders - you know, the woman who runs the sweetshop in Hogsmeade - she was acquitted. Max Randolph - I heard he was arrested, but I have no idea if he's had his trial. Oh..."

Kaiia suddenly smiled slyly.

"Of course, there was Ceallach O'Raghallaigh. She was convicted, I believe she got a life sentence. But some rather interesting information came to light. It appears that she had a threesome with the Fischer twins last year! I suspect that our Head Boy may find himself answering some awkward questions!"

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia listened carefully but the name she was hoping to hear didn't come up. Apparently that girl had gotten away without a punishment. She felt her fingers bend into a fist. She was absolutely frustrated. But this chat with Kaiia wasn't supposed to be about her, but about everything else.
She giggled when Kaiia mentioned Ceallagh and the Fisher twins. "I always thought there was something going on between those three." She took another zip of her drink "I don't think Sara will do much. I mean, she has only been around for a short period, so I don't think she'll dare to do anything drastic." She thought about what would happen if Sara tried to introduce a new set of rules or something. Maybe she'd end up like Umbridge she pondered. The thought made her giggle even more.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

It looked as if Emilia had been hoping for a different answer. But Kaiia honestly didn't know of anyone else. "There were a lot of arrests - I imagine this is just the first wave of trials," she said.

She was glad when Emilia giggled; she had noticed - and it was unusual for her to pay this much attention to other people's troubles - that Emilia seemed depressed, sad almost. Well, a lot of people had died in the battle. Perhaps Emilia had lost someone close.

She took a sip of firewhiskey. She was new to this business of friendship, wasn't sure if there was some sort of etiquette, so she asked bluntly,

"Emilia, is something wrong? You seem - sad. Did you - I mean - was someone who died in the war... special to you?"

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia took a zip of her drink, listening to Kaiia. As she presented her question, she almost choked. The memories of Kit came flooding back and there was no way to stop it. She felt the tears running down her cheeks. She glanced at the floor, before turning her eyes back to Kaiia. "I guess you didn't know, but our former student miss Black killed my mum and sister" he swallowed hard "And put my dad and my other sister in St. Mungo's." She opened her mouth to mention what had happened before the battle, but her voice broke. She took a deep breath "And like that wasn't enough" she felt her voice trembling "she also killed Kit. It might not sound like a big deal to you, but me and her were really close." She felt her fingers clench into a fist "I tell you, if I ever get my hands on that Black girl.." she couldn't finish, because her voice was smothered with her sobs.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Kaiia tensed when Emilia talked about Kit. She remembered that night, the night of the Easter Ball, when she and Kit and James spent an unbelievable night together. Her one experience of making love to another woman.

She looked at Emilia, wondering just how close she and Kit had been. Not that it really mattered.

Tentatively she said, "I know a little of what you're going through. It takes time, but it does get easier." She hesitated a moment, then reached out and rather awkwardly patted Emilia's shoulder. There was a lot to learn with this friendship business.

[Kaiia Blackthorn]

Kaiia put down her quill, and leant back in her chair. She was feeling unusually tired this evening. True, she'd spent a passionate night with Rabastan last night. But this was a different sort of tiredness.

She leaned her elbow on the desk, resting her hand on her chin. Could she be...? Much as she was enjoying having a skilled and enthusiastic lover in her bed on a regular basis, her goal had all along been to become pregnant. Rabastan looked so much like her long-dead husband, she was convinced that if she could conceive by him, the child would look the same as if it had been fathered by Damon.

She ran her hands down over her belly. It was as flat and smooth as always; of course, it would be far too soon for anything to show - and she didn't know for sure that she was pregnant yet. But as she picked up her quill again, she felt very hopeful.