Hecate looked at Sage and blinked. Ma'am? Why was he calling her Hectate? Now she was angry. "No problem." She said letting the cup fly towards him. "And it's HeCAte." This had BETTER be to keep their dating secret. Why had he begun wooing her if he was going to act so coy? This made no sense.

He seemed to act differently towards Lexi... She didn't like that. When it came to relationships, Hecate had only had 3... and the men never strayed to another woman... so she never had to compete. Was she going to have to compete with Lexi? Was the Herbology professor... and most importantly his Greenhouse, even worth it?

"I'm staying at the school for the summer. I have some projects..." and that's when she remembered her hair. She smirked and patted it a bit. "... I'm perfecting."

Umm...ma'am? Sage referred to Hecate as ma'am? Not that there was anything wrong with that (Hecate was at least ten years older than them both, right?), but Lexi was a little confused as to why the term was used to someone he was dating. Then Sage corrected himself and called Hecate by her given name, so Lexi just assumed it had been a mistake and didn't think anymore of it.

When Sage sat down on the chair next to her, Lexi smiled and turned so that she was facing him. "The plants...I figured that's what you were doing here. I just came to drop off a few necessities that I wanted to make sure not to forget. I was just about to leave when I decided to stop by the staff room to see if anyone else was here," she answered. She glanced toward Hecate, who still had hair as large as a Hippogriff's nest, then turned back to Sage. "After today, though, I likely won't be back up here until it's time to officially report back. I need to take care of a few things at home, too."

In other words, Lexi wasn't the type to hang out at school when it was still summer break. Once the students arrived, chaos would come with them, and she wanted a few more days of peace before all that happened.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lexi noticed something flying across the room, and she turned to see Sage's coffee making its way toward him. Merlin, she hoped he would be able to catch a hold of it. It seemed to be coming pretty fast, and...did was it just her or was Hecate possibly a little angry sounding? Ugh. The Potions mistress could really be so confusing at times. Lexi still hadn't decided whether the woman had good intentions or terrible intentions.

"So, uhh, Hecate?" she said, trying to make polite conversation. She was about to say something else when a little yipping noise was heard, and a tiny brown Chihuahua came scurrying into the room. "Oh, Prince Charming!" she called out, reaching down to scoop up her doggy. "My little man missed the castle, too, I think. He's glad to be back at our home away from home, too, I guess."

What little blood that was left there, drained quickly from Sage's face.. leaving him almost as pale as Nearly Headless Nick. It was the complete opposite to his normal blushing. This lady was scary. So scary in fact, Sage was beginning to wonder if he and Lexi would even be able to make it back out of here alive.

What if she did something terrible to them.. and they weren't found until the other Professor's returned to the castle in September? Surely his family would send help if he didn't return home? He hoped so.

As usual, Sage was fearing the worst. And as usual, his lack of coordination got the better of him, and he almost dropped the steaming mug of coffee Professor Lafay sent in his direction.

The last thing he wanted was to make her mad..

"Your.. your hair.. looks very nice today," he gulped nervously, hoping a compliment would lighten her scary mood a little. He did NOT want to know what these projects of hers were.. No way.

His coffee was still a little too hot, and so Sage placed it carefully on the small table in front of him before turning back towards Lexi. She was here to simply drop off a few things.. not to do some creepy experiments and projects too. "Yeah, I don't plan on coming back until the start of term either," he said quietly, hands fidgeting in his lap.

Socializing was not his thing. He just didn't do it. All his life he'd simply tried to just ... avoid people. And here he was in the staff room tying his utmost hardest to converse with not just ONE woman, but two.

He was beginning to wonder if he could perhaps excuse himself for the bathroom and slip away, when he heard a little yappy noise and a tiny dog was suddenly in Lexi's arms. Sage immediately felt a little better and leaned forward to pet the little critter. "I didn't know you had a dog!"

She probably ought to hide it. Hecate would probably like to use Prince Charming in one of her 'projects.'

Her hair? Her hair was a horror! Was he trying to show her he still liked her? Cute.

"It's temporary..." she hoped anyway...

A dog? That's a dog? That's a rat... a big one. And Hecate's kneezle would think so too... if he came out... where was he?

"Cute..." She said smiling at Lexi.

Lexi eyed Sage with a half-confused, half-concerned expression. Was everything alright with him? He looked really uncomfortable and awkward, even more so than he usually was. When she thought Hecate might not be looking their way, she gently nudged him in the side. "Everything okay?" she whispered.

He was complimenting Hecate on her hair, though, so Lexi turned her attention from Sage back to Hecate. Hecate's hair looked...awful, but Lexi would never tell her that, of course. She also understood why Sage said it looked nice. It was just the polite thing to say.

She nodded when Sage mentioned not coming back to the castle for a while either. She didn't say much else, though, because she was honestly too focused on his fidgeting hands to focus on much else. He wasn't usually this nervous, was he? She didn't think so... Prince Charming's entrance seemed to make him feel a bit happier, though, so Lexi smiled and turned her little doggy to face him. "Oh, yeah! Allie gave him to me when I first got hired here at Hogwarts. That's why his name is Prince Charming," she answered with a light laugh.

"Yeah, he is a cutie, isn't he? Even if some people do refer to him a little rat," she said, giving Hecate a playful look. "Chihuahuas are just really tiny dogs. He's really lovable." On that note, Prince Charming let out a little growl and yip-yapped toward Hecate.

Sage let out a quiet 'EEEEP!' when he felt Lexi give him a nudge, and his back stiffened upon hearing her words. Everything okay? Why was she asking that? Was it obvious how terrified he was right now? That was no good.. he was pretty certain Hecate could SMELL fear..

He must've been pretty stinky right now.

Sage continued to pet the little dog until it started yapping at the Potions Mistress. That teeny dog was ten times braver than he was.. wasn't Prince Charming scared of that hair..?

"Do you have any pets?" He asked, looking in Hecate's direction but subtly avoiding eye contact. In his opinion she didn't seem like the animal type.. "I have some rats."

"I do..." She said looking around. "Mephisto is usually-"

"Meeeeeoooow." A dark, black catlike creature came out from behind a table.

"There he is." She said putting her hand on the ground for Mephisto to come to her. Oh Yeah. This kneazle looooved his mistress... and showed it by purring. "This is Mephisto, my kneazle..." She pet the creature and made it purr even louder. "I think he came out at the mention of rats..." The cat again gave a meow, and that made Hecate smile.

At the sound of Sage's little eep, Lexi jumped just a little bit. She wasn't sure why that little sound had startled her so much, but she thought it may have something to do with all the tension in the air. Funny how everything changed as soon as Sage was added to the mix. Of course, it wasn't Sage himself that had changed things. It was the reactions Sage was having to Hecate and the things she was doing and saying.

Were they really dating after all? Sage never answered her question, which only made Lexi that much more suspicious of something going on. She wrinkled her eyebrows at him a little, almost as if she was silently asking, "What's going on?" It seemed that talk of Hecate's possible pets distracted him anyway, so she turned her attention to the Potions mistress, as well.

Prince Charming sort of stiffened at the sound of a cat's meow. Lexi wasn't sure if the Chihuahua was ready to bark and pounce or whimper and run away. Just in case, she tightened her hold on him just a little. "Oh, she's beautiful," Lexi commented, smiling in the general direction of the cat. "...seems to be pretty fond of you, too. How long have you had her?"

Polite conversation. That's what this was. Lexi could suddenly think of nothing else to say, thanks to her constant worrying over what was going on with poor Sage. He looked more uncomfortable than she'd ever seen him. She had half a mind to ask him to step away with her for just a minute or two... Was he...going to be okay?

The kneazle hissed at the woman and the 'rat.' Hecate smirked and scratched the black feline. "Miss Carlson, Mephisto is a beautiful specimen of a male kneazle." She said. "And yes... He adores me..." She said looking over to Sage.

Lexi obviously knew it was Sage... should she continue to hide it? Especially because there seemed to some interest... there. "Sage... are you allergic to anything? So I don't make it when you come for dinner?" She said looking at him.

The talk of animals de-stressed him a little. Just a very little, mind you.

Mephisto was just like his owner. Beautiful.. dark.. but bloody scary. "Oh.. Oh yeah, he's a lovely kneazle," Sage stammered, that hissing making the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. He much preferred cute, cuddly kneazles. And he much preferred Prince Charming too.

He wasn't letting his rats anywhere near Mephisto. EVER.

The way Hecate said 'he adores me' while giving him that look, unnerved Sage, and he shuffled his feet anxiously.. still trying to avoid eye contact with the woman. Once again, he was grateful Lexi hadn't gotten up and left when he'd joined them in the staff room..

What he most certainly had NOT been expecting, was for Hecate to mention their ... dinner date. The dinner date he'd desperately tried to avoid last term but obviously wasn't about to get away so easy with this term. He glanced quickly at Lexi before turning back to Hecate.

In Diagon Alley, Sage had told Lexi how the Potions Mistress was frightening and here she was now.. talking about dinner with him. Unfortunately, he was too timid to simply put her straight. To admit that he really didn't want to be left alone with her.. with just a table and between them.

"Nuts," he squeaked, ears burning a bright red. "I'm just allergic to nuts.."

Lexi eyed the kneazle with furrowed brows. What in Merlin's name was it hissing for? Unless...ahh. For a moment, she'd forgotten she was holding Prince Charming. She'd grown so used to holding him that it just seemed like second nature when she had him in her arms. "Oh, you can call me Lexi," she said, hearing how Hecate referred to her as Miss Carlton. She turned her attention back to the kneazle, who was apparently a male and not a female. "Ahh, a male. I apologize for the mistake, but yes...he's a very beautiful creature indeed."

That was when the talk turned to Sage and Hecate's dinner date, which just confused Lexi even more. Didn't Sage just tell her that he found Hecate scary? So why in Merlin's name was he setting up dinner dates with her? Something just didn't seem quite right.

She tilted her head in Sage's direction and gave him a wondering look. Maybe he could read facial expressions about could understand that she was saying---What in the name of Merlin? It was times like this, though, that reminded Lexi that it was really none of her business what Sage and Hecate did. So on that note, she changed her facial expression into a more pleasant one. It was all she could do to not thank Sage for their little ice cream outing just the other day. Feisty Lexi wanted Hecate to know all about that little outing. Although, why Lexi didn't really know.

Moody Lexi took over again, and she slumped back down into her chair.

"Nuts... very well. No Nuts." She said and smiled as he blushed. "Don't be embarrassed Sage." She said not sure if he was embarrassed she'd outed their 'love' or that he was allergic to something.

It did NOT occur to her that by "Nuts" he meant he was allergic to crazy people, and in his eyes Hecate was crazy... she didn't think that at all...although her typist did.

"I use to not have any allergies, but then... I think one of the potions I was testing..." she wasn't about to tell them what she was allergic to... "changed that."

Oh, he caught that look on Lexi's face alright. The look sort of said.. what in Merlin's saggy pants was going on? It wasn't like he could TELL her in front of Hecate though.. that way, they'd probably both end up getting hexed into oblivion. Prince Charming, too.

Sage liked the outdoors.. he liked having lots of space.. freedom.. but right now? Right now, he was feeling awfully trapped and claustrophobic.

At least if passed out he wouldn't be so afraid..

"A - a potion you took caused you to have allergies?" Sage asked timidly, glancing at Hecate once more. "I didn't know that could happen.." She seemed to test out a lot of potions.. it was slightly worrying.

"Yes..." She said to him looking between the both of them. "I was younger then..." This looking thing was getting annoying. If he wanted Lexi instead of her, then he should say so. It wasn't like Lexi could use the greenhouse... "Sage..." she said tactfully, "I hope you do not mind my mentioning our date in front of Lexi... she seemed to know... so I felt comfortable letting her in on our little secret." She told him and then added, "I feel like she and I will be good friends," she turned to lexi, "Don't you? Infact... Lexi, I was thinking..." she said, again trying to be friendly... "We could work on a joint class... something along the lines of... what's better, a cleaning potion or a cleaning charm... you know?" She smiled at the woman. "It doesn't have to be cleaning... either."

Lexi was trying not to think too hard about the fact that Sage had just admitted he was allergic to nuts. A part of her was sort of afraid that Hecate would come up with some kind of allergy experiment and feed nuts to Sage just to try and test some potion on him. Hecate had actually been really nice, though. This was the first time Lexi had had a long conversation with her, and if she was being honest, she had no reason to suspect the woman capable of any foul play.

"A potion caused you to have allergies?" Lexi asked, repeating what Sage had just said. It was an interesting thought, and something she'd never considered possible before. "So what'd it make you allergic to?" Lexi was pretty curious about what sorts of allergies a person could get from potions accidents.

...and speaking of Sage, Lexi glanced at the Herbology professor, noting that he looked like he'd either eaten something that hadn't agreed with him or been poisoned...one or the other. Either way, he just didn't look too well at the moment. Uncomfortable, still, although for what reason, Lexi still hadn't figured out. "Sage," she said, still eying him and trying to figure out what was going on. "Remember the rose...from your gardens...that you gave me last school year? I was...was wondering...if I might be able to have another? I was hoping to have one for my office." Then for some reason, she blushed, which was something she usually never did.

"Little secret?" she asked Hecate, glancing from the Potions Mistress then to Sage. Had Sage been stretching the truth a lot when he'd made Lexi to believe he thought Hecate to be scary? If he liked her, why couldn't he just tell her? Sage was one of her best friends, and she was sort of hurt by the fact that he couldn't tell her the truth. Things seemed so wishy-washy. Then Hecate was asking Lexi about a possible joint class, so Lexi turned back to her and attempted to get back into the conversation. "What? I mean, oh! Sure, that's definitely something we can discuss possibly doing." Again, Hecate seemed so nice and kind. Lexi doubted there was anything to worry about...so she gave the potions professor a friendly smile.

Sage felt like he was watching one of those muggle tennis matches. His head went to and fro.. to and fro between the two women as they spoke. Hecate was asking him if he minded that she'd revealed their 'secret' and Lexi was asking if he minded giving her another of his roses..

Oh Merlin.

"Uhm - It's okay.. It's only dinner, right?" The Herbology professor mumbled, forehead creasing unhappily as he frowned. Just dinner. Nothing more. Sage didn't like dates. Perhaps he could accidentally break a leg and get out of it...?

Then he turned to Lexi who kept giving him funny 'WHAT'S GOING ON!?' looks. "And - and sure.. you should stop by when term starts and you can pick one. I've got some yellow ones growing.. but I think red would be more suitable, Miss Head of House." Even her cheeks had gotten a little bit red!

...

OF COURSE!

Now it all made sense!!!

So that's why they exchanging glances and Sage looked so uncomfortable.

In the beginning of the school year Sage must have given Lexi roses to brighten up her office, and she completely misunderstood his motives! Poor thing... reduced to asking him for more. Pathetic really... Hecate felt a little sorry for the woman, unrequited love is hard to get over... without the right potion. Maybe Hecate would help her there... "Perfect, we'll discuss the details over tea when school begins?" She smiled.

"No. It isn't only dinner." Really. She knew Sage was trying to spare the woman's feelings, but this was ridiculous. "You offered to show me the greenhouses. Our moonlit walk? Did you forget?"

Sage really was a good man. Then again all her husbands had been. To offer her roses for her office, and letting her come and get them. This could not be misinterpreted for a come-on, and yet it spared her feelings. "Right. Congratulations Lexi. I'm glad there will be a friendly face at our meetings..." she said placing her hand on Lexi's in friendship, "I'm afraid Vindictus and Masterson don't quite... understand me." She said trying to put it politely.

He wouldn't dispute that their vacation had been nice, but with Eleanor dragging him every which way to see this thing or that thing, Preston was woefully behind in his preparations for term. Having made his way to the castle to ready his classroom, he was all but ready to go.

Just a quick stop in the staffroom and he'd be on his way....

People. Having... personal conversation.

Stopping short, he hesitated just inside the door. "Hecate, Sage, Alexia. My apologies if I am interrupting."

Sage certainly lightened the mood when he so willingly offered one of his roses to her. She'd been sort of shy to ask, because she knew how protective he was over his garden and all the things growing in it. She'd though for sure he'd be reluctant to say yes, but no, he seemed more than willing to let her have another.

...and she didn't even have to get Tate involved this time either! "Oh, thanks, Sage. I'll be sure and come over some time after the feast," she remarked. A smile widened across her face when he called her Miss Head of House. Lexi had told Sage all about her new position when they'd met in Diagon Alley earlier in the summer. "Yes, Mr. Herbology Professor, I think red would be more suitable, too."

She turned her attention back to Hecate and nodded. "Oh, yeah, over tea when school begins sounds fine to me," she replied. Now. See there? The potions professor didn't seem all that bad... Maybe she really was just misunderstood. That is, until she just had to bring up some moonlit walk she and Sage were supposed to take during their dinner date...or whatever it was. Apparently Sage was calling it 'only dinner,' which didn't seem to suit Hecate's tastes. Either way, Lexi was starting to get a little hurt that Sage told her one story at Diagon Alley, then she was hearing a completely different story here at Hogwarts. Hadn't he told her that Hecate was scary? Yes, he'd said that all the rumors Lexi had heard were true. Yet...he'd planned moonlit walks after dinner with the woman? Again, Lexi turned to Sage and gave him a confused look. What was going on?

Hecate was congratulating her on Head of House, though, so Lexi turned back to the woman and attempted a smile. "Thanks, Hecate. I look forward to working with you, too. Umm, listen, I need to---...," she started to say, but she stopped when the door opened and Preston appeared. She had just been about to make up some excuse why she needed to leave, but she just couldn't leave now. If she did, it would look like she left because of Preston, and that would be really rude. "Ahh, Preston, hello. Lexi...you can call me Lexi," she said. "How have you been?"

Sage couldn't help it. He winced ever so slightly. He just wasn't very good at getting ... you know, his point across. He was just too timid. He'd tried to tell Hecate it was just dinner.. but no. She wasn't having it. Moonlit strolls and ugh.

He didn't much fancy walking around the grounds with Hecate after dark. And the more Hecate spoke of their plans - well, HER plans - the more Lexi was giving him those looks. He didn't like it one bit.

The Herbology professor was just about to have another of his freak outs and maybe even start hyperventilating when he heard another voice and whipped his head around. "Not interrupting at all!" Sage exclaimed quickly, not wanting Preston to leave. Perhaps the Transfiguration professor could save him. "We were just congratulating Lexi on her new Head of House position."

She turned around and saw the Transfiguration professor. Hmmm... there went her quiet castle... "Professor Kingsley..." She said as he never said it was alright to call him by his proper name. "I hope we weren't being too loud..." She said motioning her wand to the tea kettle. "Cantonese Catnip Tea? I brewed it myself... soothes the nerves." She said touching her do. Yeah... had she not had her tea, this hair would have really fouled her mood.

Feeling as if she had nothing more to say, Lexi drew it a small breath then let it out in a little huff. Sort of frustrated with not being able to figure out what was going on, she propped her elbow on the side of the chair and rested the side of her face on it. Something told her that the best thing to do right about now would be to just stay out of whatever it was Hecate and Sage had going on. She still thought something didn't quite add up, but seeing as she was hearing two or three or ten completely different stories, figuring things out wouldn't be exactly easy.

She released Prince Charming and allowed him the privilege of running back to her quarters all on his own. Since they'd both lived in the castled for an entire school year, the little dog pretty much knew its own way around. With her wand, Lexi absentmindedly cleaned the cup she'd been drinking from then placed it right back on the little table she'd had it on. Ugh. How had things gotten so...weird?

Preston smiled stiffly. Nicknames were... not something he used, at all. Except for his sister, everyone was always address by their full, proper name, or title, depending on the circumstances. But, if it was her preference...

"Lexi it is, then," he said, rolling it around on his tongue. Bah. Uncomfortable and... casual. Thankfully, most of their interactions would likely be with students at least in ear shot.

He looked over to Sage, quirking an eyebrow. He was certainly acting oddly. He hadn't much experience with the Herbology professor, though he seemed a decent, if not skittish, man. When he mentioned Alexia's new position, Preston turned back to face her. "Allow me to add my congratulations as well."

And then, the potions professor. "No, not loud at all. I was just in readying my classroom and picking up some books. I was just stopping by the Staff room on my way out." Catnip tea? "Tea sounds lovely, thank you. And Preston is fine, so long as there aren't students present."

He clasped his hands behind his back, fully aware of the awkward... something.. in the room.

But breaking that sort of tension was... not among his skills.

He was kind of hoping that now the Transfiguration professor was here, the Potions Misterss would get distracted. And then he'd be able to sneak out. And then he'd run for the school gates and apparate as soon as he got to the other side. Something told him sneaking wouldn't be easy around Hecate.

He sort of wanted to warn the man not to take Hecate's catnip tea as she'd most likely spiked it with something.. but that would be drawing attention to himself. And while Hecate and Preston were sorting out tea ...

Sage glanced at Lexi who was looking quite fed up. "Everything okay?" He asked quietly, chewing nervously on the inside of his cheek. It was strange seeing her look a little down! He was used to seeing her all chirpy and chatty!

"Your tea, Preston." She said handing him a cup. "Enjoy it." She told him and sat back down. And she looked over to Sage. Why was he so moody? She finished her tea and stood placing her cup back in it's place... She turned to the corridor and said. "Would someone care to escort me to the dungeons?" Lexi might know, but Preston didn't... When Sage would offer to take her... they could have some alone time to talk...