Freya gave a sigh, which ended up sounding more like a huff than anything else. "Right, forgot about that. See, that's why you are the Herbology Professor, and I'm not." She said somewhat stifly. 'Change topic.' Freya remembered something after another moment, "How is that plant of mine doing? The one that nearly ripped both my arms off that is...okay, I exaggerated a little bit. Maybe."

He smirked, relaxing a little more. He didn't know what he'd tell her if she'd asked about the age of his rose bush. Anyone who had read the papers knew that his family had passed away less than a year from when the bush had first appeared in the garden. "It is doing fine. Eats about a pound of steak a week. It's a good thing I don't actually need my salary from teaching." He chuckled softly and sat on one of the benches. "It's grown healthy enough for some moderate experimentation. I'll hold off on anything more drastic until I find out if it spawns and how."

"Uh, um, oh. Sorry about that." Freya said as she reached into her bag and took out a handful of galleons, holding out her hand to give them to Carracio, "I think this should be enough to cover it. I had no idea it would be that troublesome." 'Why is what John wrote bothering me?' "The last letter I recieved from my mother informed me that there were several more around our, erm, I mean around my previous home." There was another moment of silence."Sir?" Freya spoke up again, 'Oh boy. I'll be lucky to get out of here with no bloody nose at this rate.' "Did you have plans for me? Before I joined the Lorenssiths that is?"

He waved a hand at the galleons. "Do not worry about it. I live only with my daughter in Slade's old manor. I've few bills to pay and still have a decent income. I would not have to work for the rest of my life, if I so chose. Meanwhile, I may have to look for more of these plants, if you would not mind giving me a location later."

John, of course. He is the only one who would have known. He considered waving it off. She really didn't have a need to know, and it would calm her. But then again, Slade hid things too, didn't he? He'd even tried to hide things from his wife, thinking she didn't have to know. Look what happened to her. No, he would be truthful with Freya.

"I had not yet decided. You were an excellent candidate. I will admit, I have several picked around the school." He sighed and looked to her. "There is a reason that all Maquis are given that pin you wear, and why I entrusted John and Jason with the task of handing them out. They are normally neutral watchers, not interfering with the order of the world. As seers, they feel this is their duty. Those pins represent, to me and those who would do my bidding, that the person bearing it shall be outside of my control, by my choice. This includes the Maquis, and anyone that I wish to protect. I had spent the last month debating over you. You were probably the most perfect candidate for my plans. However, a while ago I began considering offering you one of the pins. I had no idea how I would. It seems that John made that choice for me, in his acceptance of you into the family. In this school, only you, Alexander Lorenssith, and Cassandra Trelawney have them. The other two were given by my hand, before the Maquis even received theirs."

"No, I don't mind. But my mother would if she caught sight of you on her property." Her temper flared for a moment, 'Take the gosh darn gold!' She thought a bit hostily toward him, still holding it out. "Well then, take it for the painting that you were doing for me." 'Oh, I'd forgotten about that!' "How is it coming by the way?" 'You're taking the gold if I have to force it down your throat...'

'So someone else beat you to the punch.' Freya sighed a little bit, "To be honest with you, you could have just thrown one of those pins at me for all I cared. I trust you enough, I don't know why, I always have." She said with a slightly crooked grin. 'Naive. Yeah, maybe he was right...' Freya couldn't help but laugh at her final thought.

He sighed and shook his head, taking the coins. "The painting is coming along well. I am fairly well done, but I have always been a perfectionist. I am just concentrating on the last details. You should be able to retrieve it during finals."

He moved over to his favored bush, thinking as he touched each of the blossoms. "You probably shouldn't trust me. One thing as I was... Now... Well, there is a reason I will not be returning next term."

Freya felt a wave of relief as he took the coins. 'Good, less of a worry to carry around with me.' She nodded, "Thank you, Sir."

Her pale eyes widened a bit, 'Leaving? Him too? What is going on with these people? Everyone she knew...' "Leaving." She said quietly to herself, 'Yes, everyone leaves.' Freya's head started to spin for a moment, "'Probably' doesn't mean I won't though, Sir. That's up to me I'm afraid to say." She replied after a moment, wondering to herself why he wasn't going to come back. 'Personal issues maybe. Well, duh.' "I'm sorry to hear you are leaving, I know I won't be the only one to miss you. But I'm sure you have good reason." 'Not just lieing.' She gave a small smile, masking how upset she really was, "You're one of the favorites in Slytherin." 'Well, yes and no. For the ones that he doesn't scare off.' Freya's mind was crashing in on itself as she thought of reasons why she shouldn't trust him, and it hurt.

"That was made... apparent... once year." He gave her a bit of a sad smile. "I am very proud of Slytherin, being one myself. I even got into a little tiff with Professor Forrester about it one year when I decided to do a series of 'Slytherin training' classes. He was adamant that I was undermining his authority as head of house, and it actually drove one of the students to tell me I should mutiny. Slade said I should 'cull the growth so that it would be healthy,' so to speak. And for a short while, I was tempted to take him up on that."

He looked up to the sky, gazing upon the building stars wistfully. "Regardless, I am no good to the students in my current condition. I cannot say whether or not this is going to be the end for certain, but I can say that it has been a much longer six years than it was meant to be. I did want to be here until Forrester decided to step down, in hopes of becoming Head of House myself. But the path I would lead them along would be a dark one. It's one I had been considering leading the students of Hogwarts down."

"Even now Slade speaks to me... and reminds me of why he died. He didn't want anyone else involved. He didn't want anyone else corrupted. No one else's lives ruined. But all I can do is think of it. I am as obsessed as he is. And that is no way of thinking for a Hogwarts teacher."

He looked to her and smiled once more. "At least I may yet see you and Cassandra. And unfortunately, Alex. I will likely go back to the Maquis. They will keep me busy."

"Yeah, I'm proud of Slytherin too now. I used to regret being placed in that house when I first got here. I guess I saw it as an extension of my mother in me." She stared at the moon. It was half full and was just making it's way across the darkened sky. Freya sighed as she stared at it, almost hypnotically. To think she could be at home now doing God know's what, this was a bit better as far as she was concerned. Freya laughed shortly at hearing the word, 'tiff'. 'Until now I was the only one I knew who used that word.' "You should have had a mutiny, it could have been fun." Freya replied as she continued to watch the sky. "Why do you think you were placed in Slytherin anyway?"

"Hmm, seems time treats us differently. The older I get the faster time seems to go by. It's sad really. I never even had a childhood at all." 'When you actually want it to go faster it slows down as if mocking you.' She glanced at Carracio for a moment before averting her eyes again, "The darker the better in my opinion. None of that pish posh stuff for me thanks. People need to realize that the world isn't as grand as they all think it is, not so perfect." 'While some of us have to deal with the harsh reality of it all.'

Freya stared at him for a moment, 'He is?' "He is?" She said aloud. 'I thought he was dead.' "I thought he was, erm, gone." 'It is if you're a complete nutcase.'

She stole another look at him, 'Why do I get the feeling like I've met him before school?' "Mhm. Although it looks like our breaks are going to be pretty busy all around." Freya rolled her eyes a bit, "Alex isn't so bad. At least from what I've seen, just a bit of a wise a-, um, smarty pants that's all." She smacked herself on the wrist, 'Bad.' "And if it wasn't for him I may be homeless right now. So I appreciate what he did a great deal. Don't you have your daughter with you during break? Or is she someone who likes to go her own way?"
"I know!" She said somewhat randomly, her mind finally having a reliable memory, "I saw you in the Leaky Cauldron before term started. I'd always thought you looked familiar, well, mostly." 'Of course I was at the opposite side of the room with a few others.' "I caught a glimpse of you as I ran out the door to get something done." 'Wasn't he talking to that little boy from Slytherin?' She sighed, finally relieved that her head could rest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EquestrianGal88

"Why do you think you were placed in Slytherin anyway?"

"I know why I was placed in Slytherin." He smirked. "Ambition. Slade and I both would reach for the stars in our own ways, and would let nothing stop us. Cunning. Either of us could manipulate on a whim. Even each other. And yet we knew when we were being manipulated by each other, and went along with it anyway. And... Well, I think there is something to Slytherins that has some other quality. I couldn't tell you what it is, though."

Quote:

Originally Posted by EquestrianGal88

"Hmm, seems time treats us differently. The older I get the faster time seems to go by. It's sad really. I never even had a childhood at all." 'When you actually want it to go faster it slows down as if mocking you.' She glanced at Carracio for a moment before averting her eyes again, "The darker the better in my opinion. None of that pish posh stuff for me thanks. People need to realize that the world isn't as grand as they all think it is, not so perfect." 'While some of us have to deal with the harsh reality of it all.'

"That may be true. But for the darkness, there must be light. I don't mind when people believe in light and a brighter future. What I abhor is when they avert their eyes and pretend the darkness doesn't exist in order to do so. It's easy to ignore the bad in order to believe in the good. But to face the bad and still believe, despite seeing the face of evil... That is a true strength."

Quote:

Originally Posted by EquestrianGal88

Freya stared at him for a moment, 'He is?' "He is?" She said aloud. 'I thought he was dead.' "I thought he was, erm, gone." 'It is if you're a complete nutcase.'

"He is," he said, dropping to being a little colder. "But you must understand, I've known him for a long time. As intimately as one might know another's mind. Every word he spoke is somewhere in my mind. When I make tea, I remember him telling me that you do not brew tea, you steep it, and you brew potions. Even when I was faced with a difficult decision, I could hear him telling me what to do and trying to protect me, as he always does. And as I tend to do, I did just the opposite, knowing that he needed me more."

He got a little wistful as he remembered. Softer, and a little more melancholy. "In lonely nights, I can hear his words: 'I am here, Mentor.' And in his home, where I now reside, I look at the fireplace and chairs where we held many a conversation, and I see him curled up, glaring at me for calling him Little Kitten again." He chuckled, smiling. "The only time I do not hear him these days is when I am near his rose, here in the garden. And back then, when times became stressful, the only time I did not hear him was when he was right by my side."

Quote:

Originally Posted by EquestrianGal88

She stole another look at him, 'Why do I get the feeling like I've met him before school?' "Mhm. Although it looks like our breaks are going to be pretty busy all around." Freya rolled her eyes a bit, "Alex isn't so bad. At least from what I've seen, just a bit of a wise a-, um, smarty pants that's all." She smacked herself on the wrist, 'Bad.' "And if it wasn't for him I may be homeless right now. So I appreciate what he did a great deal. Don't you have your daughter with you during break? Or is she someone who likes to go her own way?"

"Alex is not bad when you are his friend. But he and I are at odds, and that makes him a very dangerous person to me." He smirked. "Yes, I do have a daughter. Jasmine. But she will likely want to do her own thing soon, as children do grow up and seek their own path. And I will not stop her then."

Quote:

Originally Posted by EquestrianGal88

"I know!" She said somewhat randomly, her mind finally having a reliable memory, "I saw you in the Leaky Cauldron before term started. I'd always thought you looked familiar, well, mostly." 'Of course I was at the opposite side of the room with a few others.' "I caught a glimpse of you as I ran out the door to get something done." 'Wasn't he talking to that little boy from Slytherin?' She sighed, finally relieved that her head could rest.

"That's very likely. I go there for nostalgia's sake, mostly. I'm usually not fond of going anywhere social if I do not intend to talk with someone. It is simply my nature to have a purpose to each of my actions."

'As I thought. Why the heck else...?' "And did the two of you ever get caught causing, um, mischief?" Freya asked politely, hoping that she would never be caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. 'Oh, you mean a quality besides being a two-face when you need to be? Works out quite well for me actually...' Her lips curved into a small smirk for a brief moment before straightening out again as she remembered a job her mother ordered her to carry out.

'Whoever created the phrase, ignorance is bliss, is a blind fool.... All it does is act as an anesthesia.' "And what about those who don't believe in anything?" She asked, staring at the moon still. "What about the one's who have no purpose?"

'Kind of like when I talk to myself.' Freya thought, becoming slightly disturbed.
'Okay. That's a strange name to call someone.' She wondered again as she unknowingly made a strange face looking to him again and not noticing how oddly quiet she had become. She was lost in her own world again.

'I'm glad to be on his good side then.'"Yes." Freya finally spoke up, "I met her one day on the grounds, just small chitchat, nothing else."

"Makes sense to me." She said as she glanced towards the castle, it's lit windows now casting shadows on the grouns. "No sense in wasting your time." Freya replied, nearly through gritted teeth.

"Caught? Rarely." He chuckled. "But yes, we did get ourselves into some predicaments. Particularly since I've always been a bit of a trickster. Slade would often groan if ever I uttered the words, 'I'm bored.' And so he usually made an effort to keep me... entertained. Didn't always work, however."

"No purpose?" He sighed and shook his head. "There is always a purpose. Those who do not have one simply have not found it yet, or are meant to be pawns. The ignorant, in particular, are excellent pawns. As for belief... Well, that's up to each person. Belief and faith are what you make of it. But we each have need to live for something beyond ourselves. We just need to find that thing."

"I hate those words. It always meant that I needed to do something, even if that 'something' wasn't very good." She frowned a bit, this time her expression remained on her face. "What did you do? Blow stuff up in the Room of Requirement? Always cheers me up." 'That or dealing with animals and hiding out in the woods...'

"Guess I haven't found mine yet." Freya said as she wondered what time it was and looked at the lake. Well whatever time it was, it was late enough to break curfew, she'd probably broken it by at least an hour, seeing as how the grounds were empty now. 'Oh great. I'll just sleep in the forest so no one finds me.' "Do you think I'm ignorant?" She asked yet another question, imagining what his answer would be, 'Yes, of course. And I'd certainly make a good pawn.' She thought grumpily.

He raised a brow. "If you are subtly asking if I considered you as a pawn, then then answer is as negative as the question was subtle." He stopped and considered her a moment. "Knight, maybe. A bishop. But not a pawn. You are far better than that." There was a sad smile. "Though, I hadn't had much time to consider it. And now, there is nothing you will be unless you choose to become involved. But... I doubt there is anyone who wants to be involved in The Game. Not that haven't played enough to become obsessed. But... in the end, that is the point. To create players, and to play."

'Caught my drift did you? Good.' She felt under her long sleeve and pinched herself just above her wrist. 'Stop it.' "I've had my own game to play for the last thirteen years of my life, if that didn't best me then I doubt your own Game will either." 'Although I have no real clue what I'm up against. But that's part of the sport I suppose.' "Whatever happens will happen, and if I become involved then I'll put up one heck of a fight." 'Given the circumstances I may have no choice.'

"It's not my game," he said sadly. "It wasn't hers either. I didn't realize that until the end. And this game... You may have no idea. It doesn't matter much now though. You see, the struggle is in the challenge." He frowned then, looking somewhat aggravated. "I could make someone's life miserable, but unless they can fight back, The Game is worthless. How you get in is that you become one of the pieces. Then you are challenged as a player, if you show promise. You're playing without ever realizing it, and soon you're playing just to survive. By the time you can even think to win, it's already captured your soul. Because when there isn't another player, you're left in silence."

He looked at her. "Do you remember? When you came here, you were bored. You did not have so many things to keep you busy. Your mom could likely have tortured you, but some part of you would ache for it, wouldn't it? Or at the very least, something that could hold your attention the same way. Men who have become heroes will come home and find that they are itching to fight again. Not because they want to see destruction and killing, but because for so long they lived for the fight."

"The Game became the biggest challenge of my life, because it was the biggest challenge of Slade's. I got involved because She wouldn't leave him alone. And I knew he was playing for the freedom of everyone. Me, my family, our co-workers..." Then with some malice: "Xana." He suppressed the soft growl which came to him and composed himself. "I played for everyone's freedom, but I mostly played for his as well, and his dream of freedom for others from The Game. And in the end, this game took out the biggest player, the champion... the seer, Thanatos. But it took him out as well. Leaving me with the only one left with the memory of the challenge."

Quietly, he said, "Now I cannot help but see it everywhere. Possible pieces, possible players... Possible ways of showing Xana The Game that she had run away from so that she could see what she did to him. She got skiddish because we had been messing with her memory. This just tells me she was a coward, who never really trusted us in the first place."

'Oh wonderful, Freya. Look what you've done now.' She told herself as she saw her Professor's face change suddenly, she fidgeted slightly where she still sat on the ground. Freya raised an eyebrow and laughed shortly after listening to him, "I'll think I'd take my chances as a knight. I was never one for the clergy." Oh how sad that such a thing would be true. Far too many faults on her part.

Freya looked at him, shock gleaming in her pale eyes for a moment, he was right. She had thought of returning, as much as she had denied it from being true, it was always in the back of her mind. Freya couldn't look at Carracio for a moment, "She did torture me. Toughened me up she said." Freya replied quietly.' The cruciatus curse, maybe she was right about it.' Her nails dug into the ground, "I used to want to go back, but not anymore, I've moved on." 'Although I wish I knew what happened to the others there.'
A thought came to her and Freya's hand absentmindedly came up to feel across her eye, where the large gash had been several weeks ago. Her volume increased again, "Would you think I was a fool to help someone I barely knew?" 'Now I think I was just being an idiot, although I couldn't just leave the poor thing there without doing something. Saved the girl's life and now she avoids me completely.' Sure showed me a thing or two about being gracious.

'Checkmate.' She looked at him again, "What would happen if you were to lose?" Freya asked, hoping he wouldn't get in a worse mood than he already seemed to be in. 'Well, aside from losing his life anyway.'

"You don't see me as a coward do you?" Freya spoke again. She had known quite a few in her life, but they left her with broken jaws and noses. Glancing at her hands she saw how frail they looked now, 'Such a far fall I've taken.'

Quietly, Armand responded. "Slade died for someone he barely knew. Not for me, not for anyone else. Xana was the Black Queen. And to keep her out of the game, he played this one through to his end. Would I say I thought him a fool?" He shrugged. "He was my most brilliant, my prodigy, my star. He was my pride and a defining moment that he achieved so much and I had been his mentor. That he had achieved so much, and he still called me Mentor." He shook his head. "No, it is not foolish to help, no matter how well you know them or who they are. I think it is only foolish to help someone who does not want to be helped."

"If I were to lose?" He looked up to the sky. "Well, if I played right, then it wouldn't matter. Winning or losing, that was never the point. Oh, if you put stakes on the line, sure you wanted to win. But the point of playing The Game was to find challenge in it. That is why you chose the best of the best. You choose who you think can beat you. Because if they can..." He looked back at her. "Then even if you lose, you have gotten exactly what you wanted. Another player. One that can challenge you."

"My dear, I do not regard cowards with any respect. If I thought you were a coward, you would know it. Because I would not hide my disgust for you."

'I'd better watch myself then.' Freya thought to herself as she listened to his response. "It's funny you say that when you helped me that one day I didn't want any help from you." 'But did I really not want to be helped? Or was I just being a stubborn brat?' "That day when I had my arms hurt."

She raised a brow for a moment, her interest caught. "So you choose who you want to be challenged by?" 'That would be interesting to say the least.' Freya thought as she imagined who she might decide upon."Who was your first choice? If you don't mind me asking of course, I don't want to butt in more than I already have." She spoke in a friendlier tone, finally calming down from whatever it was that had her riled up for a few moments.

'Ugh, again.' "Please, please don't call me 'dear'. I have a name for a reason after all. You mean well, but it bothers me." Freya said to him, looking at the rose bush. "But thank you for not seeing me as a coward. I happen to think the same way about you."

She looked at him apologetically, "I hope I'm not bothering you, Sir. I know I come around here an awful lot. If you ever get frustrated with me you can just tell me to leave and I will."

"I have often been called a fool." He smirked. "To be honest, my first wasn't a true challenger. My first was just a target. Maybe still is. It depends on what happens in the next few years. Each Game is a long one. That the latest was only a few years means that it was rushed."

"I am sorry, my-" He caught himself and cleared his throat. "Freya. It is merely a habit of mine. A speech pattern, if you will. It is a difficult thing to break from. You will likely have to continue to remind me."

"Your company is not unwelcome. Do not worry. I actually just had a... less than pleasant conversation with Cassandra. It seems she is rarely happy with me these days. I hate to continue disappointing her, but she seems to take my rejections far too personally."

"Believe me, erm, or not. You're not a fool, 'usually' but we all have our moments." 'That's for sure.' Her head tilted slightly to the side, "Would I know the person?" 'I hate guessing games.' "Probably not though, I'm not familiar with your crowd." 'Gee, what do they have score cards too?'

Freya sighed slightly, "I could do that." She gave a smirk, "Or I could get you one of those shock-collars that I've been reading about for Christmas. That might put an end to your 'habit'." 'I'm sure I'd get a kick out of it as well.'

"That's good to know, Sir. If you ever change your mind, just toss me out, I won't take it personally." Freya gave a small frown as he finished, "Sorry to hear that, Sir. Life is full of rejection, maybe she's not used to it, or just doesn't handle it well in the first place, like myself when I lose. I'm sure she won't hate you for it though." She finished positively. "Maybe it just takes time."

"She was from before you came here, actually. It is of no consequence."

He chuckled softly. "I think you would choose to interpret the littlest thing into 'my dear,' for the fun of it." With a smirk he added, "It's certainly what I would do. I may show you how to use a Maquis stunner one day, however."

"It might. And she has been around me quite a bit. She will be far too busy for me soon, and so she may eventually forget about me."

"Hmm," She replied as his remark was heard, "You're probably right, that does sound like something I would do actually. Who could resist the opportunity to do something like that?" 'Nobody that's who.'
"That sounds like fun." Freya continued with a smile, "I can always stand to learn more, I don't ever want to stop learning." 'That's what life is about.'

Freya looked at him strangely, "I don't think she'll forget about you. I don't know if anyone could or even would do that. She'll be busy I'm sure, but she will most likely think of you fondly in some way."

He couldn't help but raise a brow at her. "I know one person who I am quite sure is trying to forget about me. Which is why she is my target."

"Okay, now you're just bringing these questions on yourself now." Freya said to him, there was a bit of sass in her voice that she hadn't meant to come out. 'Really, he should know better than this by now.' "Who might this person be?"