She had helped enough for one day? But she had barely done anything! Except using the smelling salts to wake up the passed out Miss Caroline, but hey. She could still do abit more! However, Evangeline didn't want to sound too desperate and eager to work, so simply nodded when the Nurse settled the following day after supper would be the best day to start. "Brilliant. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Quick reflexes and comfortable shoes," Caroline instructed. Which was a bit ironic coming from a woman who routinely wore 4 inch heals, but if you can dance in those shoes, you can run an frenzied hospital wing.

"The first will help save you from projectile vomiting and the second, well I'm sure you understand." Caroline stood from her desk hand held out her hand to shake, "Glad to have you aboard Ms. Green."

Evangeline could get why she'd need comfortable shoes. Her Mother alwaays wore comfortable shoes when she was going to work. After all, standing for hours a day while running around the hospital trying to get supplies and saving lives wasn't easy! But why the quick reflexes?

Nurse Caroline was quick in explaining her and Evangeline couldn't help but to make a face. Gross. "Understood." Evangeline said with an eager smile, standing up from the chair and shaking the woman's hand. "Thank you very much. I'll see you tomorrow after supper then." She was dismissed now, wasnt she? She thought so.

With a small bow of her head in the woman's direction, Evangeline turned around and made her way out of the office. She needed to tell Clifford!

Professor Kazimeriz knocked on the door of Nurse Avalon. One hand clutched his cane tightly. The other clutched a small, wrapped gift whose shape indicated it was likely a book of some kind. He waited, shifting his weight off his bad hip.

Caroline was halfway up her bookcase ladder retrieving her reading glasses from the top shelf.

She had no idea what they were doing up there, but surely it made sense to put them there at the time.

"Ah HA!" she declared, placing them on top of her head, where she would surely forget their location again.

So when the knock at the door came she wasn't entirely prepared for it, and nearly toppled off the ladder. Instead she grasped the shelves desperately like a treed cat.

"Come iiiin!" she called out nonchalantly.

Kazimeriz took a tenative step into the office, looking around. "Miss Avalon?" he called cautiously. Perhaps he should have brought flowers instead.

Oh dear... Yes Caroline, destroy the favourable yet fragile opinion of you that you've managed to cultivate by hanging from the furnishings like a primate.

"Um Hello..." she called from the top of her bookcase. "Bet this looks a bit funny doesn't it?"

One can only hang from a dusty shelf for so long. So when her hands slipped, the first thing she did was squeal.

The second thing she did was make a mad grab for her wand and cast a cushioning charm before her rump made contact with the floor.

Valon Kazimeriz was an antique, but he was still lightning fast with a wand. Before the squeal had fully erupted from her, he could see she was going down. He drew his wand and conjured a big, fluffy soft pouf for her to land on. He saw her go for her wand but hey- too much protection was better than not enough, right?

"Are you alright, Miss Avalon?" He asked, shuffling over to her and offering her his hand to help her up.

Made contact with a Cushion.

Whump!

Owl Pellety dress all rumpled and smooshed beneath her, there was now likely a large unflattering stain on her posterior.

This is why you go clean yourself up BEFORE you go looking for your glasses. As if you'll even need them to... to... to whatever it is you're doing with your friend.

"I'm fine," Caroline assured the Professor, taking his hand and bracing herself on the shelf behind her to get herself righted. "Thank you so much."

What was he doing here? Rather than ask the question outright, as she was often want to do, "Is there something I can do to repay the kindness?"

The old man smiled a little at her. "No repayment is ever required when a gentleman is of service to a lady. But since you ask, I do have a purpose for coming to see you. But first... here." He held out the beautifully wrapped package, complete with velvet ribbon. "A small token to thank you for your understanding after the events of this term."

ooc: the package contains an ancient, richly bound book about healing arts from back in the day of Morgana and Merlin, in near-perfect condition.

Caroline was going to tell him it wasn't necessary to give her tokens of any kind, but the moment she got a look at the package she knew it was a book. Could feel it in her bones.

And she wanted it.

"Oh! May I?" she didn't wait for an answer; mannerlessly snatching up the BOOK!!! Gleefully tugging at the ribbon and stripping away the gilded paper she positively shrieked in delight at what the lovely wrappings (which were most defintiely destroyed) revealed.

"I cannot belieeeeeeeve it!" she squealed, clutching the tome to her chest and twirling around in elated circles. "Do you KNOW how rare this book is? How impossible to find? How expensive-" She stopped.

It was BEYOND generous. Did that mean she couldn't accept it? But she wanted it!!!

"It has been in my collection for decades. I wanted your great-grandmother to have it, but under the circumstances..." He shrugged, as if to say 'what can you do?' and smiled at her, pleased that she seemed to like it. "I can think of no one I would rather own it than you, Miss Avalon." he said, stooping forward in a tiny partial bow.

"...And while there are no strings on the gift, I am afraid I do have a business matter I wished to discuss. If you have time, that is..." he said, eyeing her very formal -- though a bit filthy -- attire. "I am not keeping you from another engagement am I?"

"Thank you thankyou thankyousomuchprofessorreally!!!" Caroline gushed.

Oh she COULD keep it! And she could especially keep it if she was helpful with his business matter or whatever!!! For this book she would stand on her head and spit Sickles while singing the Hogwarts School Song if he asked.

"I have a few minutes, I really need to get cleaned up though. Can we talk while I tidy?" She explained, "I was in the Owlery teaching Abby Wright some basic manners, which included a crash course in the European Waltz and how good following skills can translate in learning your place. But... it's the Owlery, and..." she gestured to her dress... ug and her shoes.

"Of course. I can see your... er... predicament." He wrinkled his already-wrinkled nose in disgust at the owl guano spattered on her skirt and shoes. "Glad to hear that the Wright girl is learning to be a proper lady, though... About time, I say. About time." He nodded with approval.

"I was hoping that you would be willing to assist me in my final class. I-- " As a precaution, he cast muffliato... You never know when a crafty student with extendable ears was listening in.

"So, as I was saying. I was hoping you would assist..."



"...so you can understand, it would be in the best interest of all involved if a qualified healer was present at the scene. Will you assist me?"

How utterly fascinating. She was almost envious. No she was ACTUALLY envious of the young and agile minds who would get to benefit from such a potions lesson. Caroline nodded fervently and cleaned her skirt awkwardly, removing the stains from her hem, and her.. ahem, buttocks.

"Well certainly I'd love to help with your class. Scourgify!" she cleansed her shoes, "It sounds thrilling! I mean I certainly hope I'm NOT needed, but well! How compelling!"

"Excellent, then. I shall see you in my class, next week? I should think that it would be wise to have you present for the duration of the session, and will be most honored if you are there, madamoiselle." He made the effort to bow, pleased that he got her assistance. "One last thing...I was wondering if I might get another look at that family tree parchment of yours." He raised an eyebrow.

Caroline smiled. Getting a wonderful book and getting all the Owl poo off her dress AND going out to spend time as she please with a friend is known to put one in a great mood. And assisting in Potions to boot? Great day.

Crossing back to her desk, she pulled a roll of parchment. "I can certainly do both," she agreed, passing it to him.

SPOILER!!: Avalon Family Tree

"Why does it interest you?" she asked.

Well that had been a rather awkward way of bringing Alessia up to the third floor. He'd had to throw her over his shoulder as he climbed the ladder to get back into the castle. Not the the most debonair way of doing things but what choice did he have.

Once back in the castle he had transferred her back into his arms as he made his way to Caroline's office. All the way there he kept speaking to her in quiet tones reassuring her that everything would be alright.

Marcus, knocked on Cari's door but did not wait for an invitation before striding into the office with Alessia in his arms. He opened his mouth to explain the situation when he spotted the old man standing there and he closed it quickly and stared at him for a moment and then looked down at Less in his arms and then to Cari. He cleared his throat, truly at a loss as to what to say. It probably wasn't going to matter, the old man was going to have a fit. "Er...Less, I mean Professor Lupa has hurt herself." Oh way to go Lawson, that just explained it all.

Alessia was MORTIFIED!!! Absolutely MORTIFIED!!! It was a wonder the rabid bunny thing didn't see her! Oh she'd have never lived it down!

She his her face into Marcus' chest hoping Caroline wasn't going to laugh at her.

As Caroline's office door flew open, it was her first instinct to tell off whoever was SO RUDE as to burst in without waiting to be invited.

She was gearing up for quite a diatribe when she saw Marcus and Less and the words died in her throat. Instead of a dressing down, what escaped her was a gasp. And she ran out from behind her desk. Which must have looked pretty silly in her formal wear but she wasn't particularly interested.

"What happened? Put her down on the chaise, Marcus would you?" she asked.

Only the slightest dregs of temper remained, at the Defense professor for once again showing up. As usual with bad timing. And ALWAYS with a casualty. He certainly took the terms of which he could come into the hospital seriously.

It was amazing that after all these months of not seeing Caroline, his appearance could still bring about the look of disdain on her face. Marcus, shifted Less slightly in his arms and gave the old man a fleeting glance before moving over to the chaise and laying Professor Lupa, gently down onto it.

He straightened up and faced both Caroline and Kazimeriz with his chin jutted out almost defiantly. "We were walking back to the castle from Hogsmeade when Professor Lupa tripped on some uneven paving. I think she may have sprained her ankle."

Of course Marcus, was sure to leave out the whole sharing cake together in Puddifoots beforehand. He didn't want to be the cause of the old man having a coronary, of course he was still probably going to bust a vein anyway.

Professor Kazimeriz ran a gnarled finger along the lines of the tree, tracing from Caroline Avalon back to her great-grandmother. Trying to recall exact dates of events and... He shook his head at her. "I was just curious as to your grandmother's history... after we parted company, that is." He stared at the parchment, his face blank and unreadable.

Kazimeriz's eyes went wide: Alessia had been injured? He shuffled over to her, looking from her to the minion of his nemesis, then back to his goddaughter. "Alessia, are you alright? I..." Hold it! "Whyever were you in Hogsmeade, Alessia?" he asked calmly. Surely she was not there with this git. She knows better. His eyes flashed again to Lawson and back to Alessia, the family tree momentarily forgotten.

Merlin's beard! Alessia Lupa was not a child but the way the old man spoke to her anyone would think she was five years old. Marcus, noticed the look, how could he not and he merely shrugged his shoulders. "We ran into each other there. I offered to walk her back to the castle" he narrowed his eyes slightly at Kazimeriz. "Good thing I was there, wouldn't you say?" he added, folding his arms across his chest.

She wasn't jealous.

Marcus could go wherever he wanted with whomever he wanted and she didn't care at all.

Not.

One.

Bit.

After all, wasn't she going to Hogsmeade with Ethan? And didn't it mean less than nothing?

Didn't it?

Anyway none of it mattered presently.

Caroline hitched up her long silk dress and knelt down on the floor next to Less. "I need to check your ankle before I do anything," she explained as if Less didn't know it would be completely foolish to just start casting charms all willy nilly.

She prodded the swollen Ankle gently with nimble fingers, "This probably goes without saying, but let me know when it hurts."

Alessia whimpered as she was placed down. She was hurt, and absolutely embarrassed and now Papa Valon was angry with her. "I went because I was tired of being cooped up in the hut... I figured I'd go... keep an eye out for the students." That was true... she had.

She was just about to say how lucky she was that when she twisted her ankle, Marcus was there that Caroline touched her ankle in the wrong place. "Owowow... That, yes.. there... owww" she said trying to hold back tears. Maybe Papa Valon was right to treat her as a child... she certainly couldn't handle pain and was acting like one!