Whether it was in his office or hers it didn't matter to Viktor for this date. Just that it was happening. This time it was at her office and Viktor did not mean to disappoint. He had some licorice snaps on him and something to drink. Though it was strange. He thought she didn't like them. Showed how much he payed attention.

He stolled past her waiting area which was alright. Not better than his and opened the door and walked in.

"Laurel, i'm sure you saw me coming"

Smirk.

Laurel had endured her first day of classes, with interesting results. Some students actually showed potential to have an Inner Eye while others she feared would be amateurs at best. But even if she saw their futures nothing was set until things happened or not.

Wrapping a dark green shawl tighter around her shoulders where she sat behind her desk with her cat in her lap, stroking him behind the ears Laurel raised her bluegrey eyes as Viktor as expected came through her door.

Smiling knowingly she affirmed. "Yes, Viktor I did. Do you care for some freshly brewed tea?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Even though she was immersed in lesson planning it didn't mean that she didn't see her first student visitor coming. Making no haste Laurel, rose from her comfy chair, her many bracelets dangling as her crystal ball gave off its little ringing sound. Miss Skeeter had come. With a satisfied glance around her office she walked out to greet the senior girl.

Stepping out into her waiting corridor some moments she let a kind smile purse her lips as she took in the appearance of the slightly troubled looking brunette. "Good day Ms Skeeter, how may I be of assistance on this fine day?"

Ooc: You may now post in Laurel's office

Chewing anxiously on the left side of her lower lip, Paige bowed her head in appreciation to the professor as she stepped inside the office all the while her hands fussed with the hem of her grey Hogwarts skirt. "Thank you for your time, professor," she said in advanced gratitude, her blue eyes instantly falling upon the mimbulus mimbletonia across the office.

"I'm not sure assistance is the proper term," she replied with a small but nervous laugh. "I...um...has the Department of Mysteries been in contact with you?" Or perhaps her own Head of House. "About...about my situation?"

Laurel took note of Paige's anxious behaviour where the hands fussing with the hem of her skirt was most evident. Still smiling she closed her office door after the senior badger's entrance. Following the girl's gaze over to the windowsill and her plants she mumbled softly. "Plants bring a homely feel and a sense of peacefulness to a room, don't you think?"

Going over to her tea table Laurel asked with a glance over her right shoulder. "Would you care for some chamomile tea, Paige?" Too sooth her nerves perhaps?

Pausing over her cookie jar Laurel turned to look at Paige as she answered her question with a brief nod of the head. "Yes, the Department of Mysteries has been in contact with me about your situation, but I'd be interested to hear about it from you in your own words, if it's not too hard to talk about it?"

"I feel like i'm back to being a student meeting a new Professor"

Which was basically how he spent his time in school besides the girl and well having fun as a student. Meeting and Flattering new female Professors. Forget about classes and homework. Viktor slid into a seat and smiled.

"I would love some tea. Just keep the perfume to a minimum. That stuff smells"

Well now what to talk about. Last thing he remembered she was going to school somewhere close by and he was going back to Russia. And after that well life happened.

"You look good considering last time i saw you was when we graduated right. Well before Professor-ship and all"

Gesturing to her little corner area she said with a warm giggle. "We don't have to sit by the desk if it brings back uneasy school memories for you? We can sit by the tea table if you'd prefer?" It was less formal after all and she could always conjur up some comfy chairs.

Letting out a second giggle she said "Noted. I'll keep the perfume to a minimum in your presence." Even if Laurel thought the perfume added to her femininity.

Taking the tea tray over to where Viktor was sitting, she sat down across from him in the chair behind her desk before she handed over a cup of tea to him. "Here you are. There is extra milk and sugar on the tray as well as liquorice snaps."

Leaning back in her chair Laurel took a sip of her tea before she responded thoughtfully. "Thank you, you don't look so bad yourself. What have you been up to since we graduated? Work? Studies? Wife?"

Well he didn't say they were bad memories. Just reminding him of being a young somewhat innocent student. "Where-ever you want us to sit. It's your office after all. I don't mind as long as it is comfortable" He was only a little joking about the perfume. It was pretty overpowering when she puts too much on. A little is okay. Smells good at least.

He thanked her for the tea and took a sip.

"I thought you didn't like liquorice"

Which was why he gave them to her.

"You know i have never had a steady girlfriend. Always ends in fighting and hexes then anything else. I went back to Russia after school for more school then Cairo and then curse breaking in Russia then teaching at Koldovstoretz. You?"

Its been fun since he left this school. But he did miss it a little which is probably why he is back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Laurel took note of Paige's anxious behaviour where the hands fussing with the hem of her skirt was most evident. Still smiling she closed her office door after the senior badger's entrance. Following the girl's gaze over to the windowsill and her plants she mumbled softly. "Plants bring a homely feel and a sense of peacefulness to a room, don't you think?"

Going over to her tea table Laurel asked with a glance over her right shoulder. "Would you care for some chamomile tea, Paige?" Too sooth her nerves perhaps?

Pausing over her cookie jar Laurel turned to look at Paige as she answered her question with a brief nod of the head. "Yes, the Department of Mysteries has been in contact with me about your situation, but I'd be interested to hear about it from you in your own words, if it's not too hard to talk about it?"

Paige certainly could not disagree there, her own dormroom a testament to that very thought, and thus nodded her head with a shy smile. She had even had to forgo the use of curtains around her bed to make room for the ivy and wisteria that grew around it, providing her with its own earthy green curtain. "Do you have an interest in herbology as well, professor?" Keeping a rare species such as that was no easy feat.

"Tea would be lovely," she smiled while making her way a bit further into the office. As for putting things into her own words...Paige simply bit her lip in reply and looked down at the floor and her fingers knotting themselves around the hem of her skirt. "I'm...not quite sure where to begin...exactly," she confessed. "...it's all still new to me and I don't really enjoy the idea of trying to explore the ability all that much..." Not after what she had seen and it seemed as though every time she dipped into her Inner Eye it only revealed more and more hardship."...I only really understand that my sense of touch plays a key role."

Which was really why she had come here, wasn't it? To attempt to open up communication with regards to it with someone who actually knew. She had not had a constant Divination professor since receiving confirmation, and even one of them had been a hag who could have eaten her were she have to sought solace, so there had been no one really for the Hufflepuff to turn to. People had tried and to varying degrees of success, Brian and Noel being the two with the most impact, but every time she thought she was okay with things...something happened to remind her that she was not.

Far far from it.

Did she misunderstand him? Shaking her head Laurel mumbled over her cup of tea at him. "We sit where we are already sitting then, the chairs are super comfy." Which she knew after testing. The perfume she was sticking with since she loved it but she could ration how much she put on. A compromise she could endure.

Taking a liquorice snap from the tray, she nibbled on the edge of one saying. "I didn't like them at all when were at Hogwarts, but now they don't taste so bad."

Sipping on her tea as Viktor summarized his life since graduation up to this day to her. Laurel raised her gaze and smiled when the question was asked in return. "University studies for me, then apprentice work in a muggle psychic shop, more studies and after that I worked as an unspeakable for the department of mysteries at the ministry of magic for around 10 years before coming here. No boyfriend currently."


Moving around Paige to go to her little self-serving tea set Laurel answered with a glance over her shoulder. "I like having plants around me, but I can't say I have the same burning interest in plants as Professor Myers does." Gesturing to the rare mimbulus mimbletonia she said. "I got that as a gift from an grateful old lady I helped when I worked in a muggle psychic shop." And she had watered and cared for it ever since.

Filling the tray with teacups, a plate of chocolate chip cookies and other essentials Laurel walked over to her little red seating group, which was basically just two comfy chairs and a table in the middle near one of the towers windows and motioned Paige to join her. Smiling warmly as she sat down she said. "I completely understand. What is new and unknown can be quite scary when you are young. Being a Seer isn't always met with interest and excitement either. Most of the time its met with suspicion and fright." She should know she had met quite a number of people over the years.

Pouring steaming tea into two cups Laurel offered one to Paige asking. "Why aren't you interested in exploring your ability more? How did you first realize you had the gift?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Moving around Paige to go to her little self-serving tea set Laurel answered with a glance over her shoulder. "I like having plants around me, but I can't say I have the same burning interest in plants as Professor Myers does." Gesturing to the rare mimbulus mimbletonia she said. "I got that as a gift from an grateful old lady I helped when I worked in a muggle psychic shop." And she had watered and cared for it ever since.

Filling the tray with teacups, a plate of chocolate chip cookies and other essentials Laurel walked over to her little red seating group, which was basically just two comfy chairs and a table in the middle near one of the towers windows and motioned Paige to join her. Smiling warmly as she sat down she said. "I completely understand. What is new and unknown can be quite scary when you are young. Being a Seer isn't always met with interest and excitement either. Most of the time its met with suspicion and fright." She should know she had met quite a number of people over the years.

Pouring steaming tea into two cups Laurel offered one to Paige asking. "Why aren't you interested in exploring your ability more? How did you first realize you had the gift?"

Smiling, Paige couldn't resist but step closer to the magical plant and lifted a finger gently towards it to see if it would wobble or wiggle towards her and allow her to touch it. Maybe someday she would be able to keep one of these herself. "Herbology is a passion of mine as well," she nodded. Which was probably why her preferred method of divining - whenever she DID perform readings - involved flowers. "How...did she happen upon it?" the Hufflepuff asked, startled by this reveal. It was not something that a muggle should come across so easily.

Waving goodbye to the mimbulus mimbletonia for now, Paige accepted the woman's offer and made her way over to the seat opposite her and took great care smoothing her skirt before sitting down. "Those I've told...have been incredibly supportive," she nodded, blue eyes looking at the tea cup and the warm inviting liqured hugged by its porcelin walls. It was a very small selection...just Noel, Brian, Dot, and Dieter truly knew the extent of things...but their words of encouragement had meant the world to her. Particularly those of Brian's who..well...her ability had impacted the most.

"Too many coincidense...I suppose," she replied meekly, politely reaching for the tea cup and accompaning saucer and resting them on her lap. "But when I...I predicted my best friend's...potentially fatal illness accurately...I couldn't put off seeking confirmation from the Ministry anymore..." Slowly, she lifted the tea to her lips only to set it back down again without taking a sip. "That alone was...sort of enough of a shock not to want to expore things further. I...I may have bought him more time...but everything I've seen has been...unpleasant...and that knowledge weighs heavily on my conscious."

She had a point and getting up would be a waste of time. Viktor was just getting comfortable. Shame about the licorice. But you would think your tastes change with time.

"See i remember that. You hated them. Did not even think you would grow to like them. Interesting surprise. Divination Professor, not so much. You always liked this stuff. Though Unspeakable. Well now that is interesting. More interesting than curse breaking"

He has already filed away the no boyfriend statement for later

"No girlfriend currently either"

Laurel watched Paige as she stepped closer to the mimbulus mimbletonia to see if it'd accept her to touch it. It was a plant with its own mind which some cuts had showed her. Thinking back she responded. "The old woman had inherited it from a relative of magical descent that had recently passed away and left it to her. She said the relative had been a passionate florist." Which in magical terms meant herbologist or plant expert at least since the plant was rare to come by.

The badger had manners she noted when she took care to smooth her skirt out before sitting down. Smiling warmly Laurel said "That's good to hear. Everyone needs a good support system of close friends." Especially ones with rare gifts such as Seers.

Furrowing her brows she murmured sympathetically. "The real and accurate predictions are the ones that effects us and those around us most." Laurel wanted to reach out and pat Paige's arm but held off. "How is your best friend doing now?" Sipping on her tea she nodded "I understand completely, but it won't always be unpleasant, bad or scary. It can be absolutley wonderful too. It is not wise to try to ignore or turn your predictions off. They will come back with force when you least expect it. You need to accept and embrace your ability." Or it could swallow her up.



They were staying put. Laurel wasn't moving since it looked like Viktor was getting comfortable in his chair. If he wasn't then she'd have moved for his benefit.

Taking another sip from her teacup she commented with a raised brow. "I'm surprised you remember what I hated in school at all. I don't love liquorice now I just understand it one might say." If it mattered. In the big scheme of things probably not.

"I can't talk about what an unspeakable does but yes its way more interesting than curse-breaking." Laurel agreed. Shaking her head she confirmed. "No girlfriend either. You?"

Was it really that surprising. Okay it kind of was since he hardly remembers who he went to school with unless they were gorgeous. But since it was Hogwarts that refers to most of the females there. Males not so much.

"Really the only thing i remember besides didn't you have that boyfriend with the teeth that looked like they belonged on a rat in school or was that someone else?"

Unspeakable not able to speak about there job.

Mindblowing.

Shame no girlfriend either. Oh well.

"Single. Besides some flings. Never had a girlfriend for long"

Shrugs.

His Life

It was surprising since many didn't want to remember their school days at all. Others remembered everything and again others just chose to remember the good bits. Viktor seemed to fall in the last group whereas Laurel remembered too much.

Shaking her head she exclaimed. "The dude with the enormous teeth like a rat was Lucilles dude Adam. I didn't have a boyfriend in school." Everyone picked on her and saw her as weird so she hadn't dated anyone in her year which Viktor seemed to have conveniently forgotten.

"How did you work with curse-breaking? Did you solve crimes for the ministry?" Laurel wondered hoping to steer Viktor away from her love life.

"Really? Why's that? Don't you want to find the right woman to settle down with?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Laurel watched Paige as she stepped closer to the mimbulus mimbletonia to see if it'd accept her to touch it. It was a plant with its own mind which some cuts had showed her. Thinking back she responded. "The old woman had inherited it from a relative of magical descent that had recently passed away and left it to her. She said the relative had been a passionate florist." Which in magical terms meant herbologist or plant expert at least since the plant was rare to come by.

The badger had manners she noted when she took care to smooth her skirt out before sitting down. Smiling warmly Laurel said "That's good to hear. Everyone needs a good support system of close friends." Especially ones with rare gifts such as Seers.

Furrowing her brows she murmured sympathetically. "The real and accurate predictions are the ones that effects us and those around us most." Laurel wanted to reach out and pat Paige's arm but held off. "How is your best friend doing now?" Sipping on her tea she nodded "I understand completely, but it won't always be unpleasant, bad or scary. It can be absolutley wonderful too. It is not wise to try to ignore or turn your predictions off. They will come back with force when you least expect it. You need to accept and embrace your ability." Or it could swallow her up.

Mimbulus mimbletonia intrigue aside, Paige finally took a sip of her tea and tried not to let the professor's question's impact translate too much to her features. But Paige Samantha Skeeter had never been the sort to be able to mask how she was feeling, not when deep rooted emotions were present at least. "Coping," she answered vaguely. Which was not a lie because that was what he was doing...in his own destructive way.

She Hufflepuff shook her head. "I'm not...doing it consciously...at least...I don't think I am..." she admitted. She was by no means even close to being able to accomplish such a thing or, perhaps, she would have done so already. "I just...don't actively participate, I guess." Was that the proper way to put it? She sort of needed to go out of her way to make predictions, they didn't just come to her like great Seers of the past had. "I don't know how to accept a part of me that leaves me so ... apprehensive."

Among a cornucopia of other words the seventh year could list.

OH RIGHT he had that hilarious name also. Oh Merlin can't believe Viktor forgot that. Oh well. Viktor grinned. Guess she was not dating him. Shows how much he truly remembered. "Lucilles dude Adam. How could i forget that name," Oh how much the kid got picked on. Viktor among them. Still those teeth.

"Must have been someone else"

He really did not remember seeing her much at all. Or her look like this. Oh well. Oh he was no Auror. He would rather avoid law enforcement than join it

"No it mostly for profit. The bank would send me to where they think some treasure that might or might not have some curses on it and well my job it to bring it back curse free and hopefully with me in one piece."


Its could be a desk job also. Like here in the main branch. But well he wanted something different after teaching.

Laurel had touched a spot. It was evident by the one syllable answer from Paige. It was probably emotionally complicated and she had put her nose in something which wasn't her business. A hazard from being a seer like she was. "I could do reading of my cards and see how it will go for you and him if you want?" It was clear that the girl was a right sweetheart that wasn't having it easy at all with her gift and how it affected people around her.

Twinning her thumbs around each other as Paige spoke and explained how she felt Laurel got an idea which probably was a bad one considering Paige's feelings towards her seer ability but it was also what could change it. "Would you like to actively train your seer ability with me, as my apprentice? It might help you if not to make you accept your seer ability but at least make you less apprehensive towards it."



Shrugging Laurel said "You probably forgot because we had like 4 Lucilles in our year." It was some years ago and let's face it, if you didn't see someone regularly or owled them then you forgot their names eventually unless you were exceptionally good with names.

"I was far from beautiful in school. I'm surprised you don't remember my big bushy hair, glasses and clumsiness. I did my best to be invisible." Laurel had changed and evolved since then with practice and tips and well a visit to a personal stylist but that she wasn't going to admit to Viktor.

"Bank work with goblins sounds interesting but dangerous too. I hope you didn't get cursed and that's why you chose to go back to teaching?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Laurel had touched a spot. It was evident by the one syllable answer from Paige. It was probably emotionally complicated and she had put her nose in something which wasn't her business. A hazard from being a seer like she was. "I could do reading of my cards and see how it will go for you and him if you want?" It was clear that the girl was a right sweetheart that wasn't having it easy at all with her gift and how it affected people around her.

Twinning her thumbs around each other as Paige spoke and explained how she felt Laurel got an idea which probably was a bad one considering Paige's feelings towards her seer ability but it was also what could change it. "Would you like to actively train your seer ability with me, as my apprentice? It might help you if not to make you accept your seer ability but at least make you less apprehensive towards it."

Paige shook her head, almost instantly. She would really...rather not know...and she knew Brian was the same. Although he had all but written off his own fate by this point in time and all the seventh year could do was offer her shoulder and listening ear when he would allow himself to show any vulnerability on the matter. Which was...not too terribly often given how she had reacted the last time. "That's not necessary, professor," she added gently.

The Hufflepuff considered the Divination professor's words, mulling them over in her head in a bit of a terrified manner. She had done her research, knew what could possibly happen from NOT doing anything and constantly trying to suppress things - and it was admittedly more awful than exploring the ability. Although she hardly considered herself apprentice worthy. "I..." she began, pausing to chew on the inside of her cheek while considering her wording. "I think I'd like that," she finally confessed. As reluctant as her tone may have been, it was sincere.

The seventh year girl's almost immediate shook of her head in declination of her offer didn't come as a complete surprise. Laurel had wished for another response of course but she understood and respected if Paige and her friend didn't want more knowledge to tackle at the present time. "Let me know if you change your mind sweetie."

"The knowledge you might wish to seek will still be there to be discovered when you and your friend feel ready to face it." Laurel murmured gently.

She waited in silence as Paige mulled over her last offer in silence. Laurel could almost see the wheels turning in the senior's head as she weighed the pros and cons of saying yes or no to her offer of seer lessons. She could understand the mixed emotions and fears and apprehension.

Smiling warmly Laurel said sincerely "I think we will both enjoy it. What days would suit you best for our Seer sessions?"