Trusting Dionysus completely, Iliana merely glanced out of the corner of her eye as Marcus mounted the creature. Good. He was on; time to head out. "Well like Joshua, I'd love it if you'd to play for me sometime," she said as they started out the paddock fence. She gave a well-practiced click of her tongue and Trinity responded at once by picking up speed. Though the beautiful weather was urging her faster, she kept them at a steady trot. Just in case.

Nice, beautiful, very hot. That sounded divine. "When's the best time to visit?" She asked, already planning the trip in her head.

"Even though..." she started. "Do you really think he dislikes you?" She raised an eyebrow at him, trying to imagine what even mean-old-man Kazimeriz would have against Marcus. And then... the answer was made clear. Truebridge.

Funny. Why was it that at the very moment she was thinking about him, Marcus went and uttered his name. She gave him an almost contemptuous look and said, "Well I guess I have nothing at all to worry about then." She laughed. It couldn't have sounded more forced. "Ethan Truebridge and I are hardly friends." Friends spoke to each other. Friends gave each other the time of day. Friends didn't go ALL year without saying hello.

Oh enough of these thoughts. They didn't get her anywhere and would just end up upsetting her. To heck with that.

Relaxing her face, she turned to Marcus and said, "It's just over this next hill. Shall we let them run?" she asked. Without waiting for a response, she dug her heels in to Trinity's sides and took off. As the wind caught her hair, forcing it away from her face, she remembered why she wanted to come out here in the first place. Her smile returned. The breeze felt fantastic!

Merlin! What was with everyone wanting him to play for them. He hadn't played the guitar since he left the band and the only time he played the piano was at Christmas, when he went home to his family for the holidays. Right now, Joshua was the only person who could get him to play and he couldn't see that changing anytime soon.

He followed after her and thought about her question. "Well depends if you like hot weather or not. If you do, then I would suggest going there during the Christmas break. That's when it's summer."

Marcus, gave Iliana a stunned look. What had he said to get that look from her? Oh. Right. He remembered the look on her face at the beginning of term when Ethan had walked into the room, he had assumed that there was something between the two. Apparently not. And what was he supposed to say to that? he had no idea so he decided to keep his mouth shut.

"Oh hey now Morgan, that is cheating" he laughed loudly as he spurred the Abraxan on, trying to catch up with her. Ah, it was good to be outside. He hadn't done some thing like this in such a long time.

With her eyes closed and her face upturned, Iliana breathed deeply, letting the sun invigorate her body from the inside out. "The sun draws me to it," she said as though that were answer enough. Too bad she had already spent this Christmas skiing with her family. Next year, they'd just have to go without her.

Iliana turned back and smiled at Marcus' feeble attempt to catch up. Something about his laugh was infectious and before long, Iliana found herself ready to laugh right along with him. "Cheating?! HA! Whoever said this was a race?" she called over her shoulder. "Keep up Lawson," she teased, slowing down just enough that he might pull ahead.

"Then you definitely need to go to Australia. It's sunny nearly all the time." Marcus watched her for a moment as she rode the Abraxan just ahead of him. "You know I would be happy to go with you if you like and show you around. They have some pretty amazing creatures over there." Okay Lawson, where in the name of Merlin did that come from?

He laughed again as he spurred the Abraxan to go faster. "I guess I am just a competitive sort of guy. Maybe I don't like a woman beating me." Marcus gave her a wink to let her know that he was joking. "Ha! I'm trying but I think you gave me the slow one, on purpose" he chuckled again as he finally caught up with her but only because she had slowed down. He looked out across the grounds and breathed in deeply. "Wow! How long have you been keeping this a secret Professor Morgan?"

Iliana slowed her Abraxan even more and gave Marcus a curious look. While the thought of visiting such a place put a smile on her face; she hadn't expected his offer. A short internal debate whether to be amused or annoyed went on inside her head. -- Would it be considered odd to go on holiday with him? While he seemed harmless enough, she barely knew him... Though at least he had taken the time to speak to her... And it would be nice to have a guide... Someone she knew... to show her all the best places.

Too busy thinking to even hear Marcus' comments about his "slow Abraxan" (as if there was such a thing - HA!) Iliana didn't catch his stab at humor.

Still... odd or not... the chance to spend entire days lying in the sun instead of freezing in the snow... to see Billywigs in their natural habitat... now that was tempting. -- 'Oh Iliana, stop over-analyzing everything. He is just trying to be nice,' she thought, finally meeting his eyes again. "I don't know Marcus. I wouldn't want to impose."

"It is breathtaking, isn't it? But it's not a secret. There just aren't many people I'd like to share it with. Less has been up here with me but usually, I come alone." she said, sliding off of Trinity's side and landing gracefully. "It's a great place for thinking." At least for her it was. "... good place for talking too," she added. He did want to talk, didn't he? Wasn't that why they'd come out here in the first place?

She sure was doing a lot of thinking and he frowned slightly wondering what on earth was so bad about his suggestion. Okay they didn't each other very well but he had invited her as a friend, just as he would if it had of been Ethan. He was merely offering to show her a place that she had never been to before and he had. It was an innocent offer. Friends could go places together even though they were of the opposite sex.

"You wouldn't be imposing Ili and I wouldn't have offered if I thought youu were. But of course if you are not comfortable with it then I quite understand." Marcus shrugged his shoulders as he slowed the Abraxan down to a nice walk before stopping it altogether.

He dismounted from the Abraxan and looked out at the view. "It is beautiful" he agreed before turning towards her and offering a gentle smile. "Yes talking, I guess that's why we are here." He walked a little away from the winged horse and sat down on a patch of grass. He patted the spot beside him, gesturing for her to sit down as well. "I suppose I should get straight to it. Jacob Upstead" he said simply and left it at that.

Now that he was frowning, Iliana realized just how silly she was being. His answer had already set her mind at ease. It was time for her to return the favor. Sitting down beside him, she gave him an appreciative smile and said, "Actually Marcus, I'd love it if you would come with me."

Glancing out over the little pond, Iliana smiled again and said, "Yes, I thought you might want to discuss Mr. Upstead." She could still remember that day in the Hospital Wing. Lawson had a talent when it came to dealing with Jake that she envied. "How can I help?" she asked as she turned to face him.

"I promise it'll be fun and there is plenty to see." Not that he had ever thought that he would be taking someone on a guided tour of the place but when he had been in Australia, he had made sure that he had ventured out and discovered as many places as he could.

Marcus, stared thoughtfully across the grounds. Where was he supposed to start? He had tried to help Jake, on numerous occasions and all of them had ended in disaster. "Well I hear he comes to visit you a lot. I thought maybe you could tell me a little about him, so that I am not going in blind. Because I seem to be doing all the wrong things where he is concerned." Marcus, shrugged and gave her a sort of defeated look.

"I can't wait!" Ili said excitedly; all prior reservations a distant memory.

Iliana blushed slightly. There was no use denying it. Jake was with her A LOT. "About that... Jake's father owled me near the start of term. He asked me for help keeping an eye on him. Hearing the concern in that letter, I couldn't refuse. Jake's a troubled boy," she let the understatement stand a moment before continuing. "I can tell you all I know, but I think you wrong about one thing... " she paused, turning in the grass to face him. "I've seen you with Jake, Marcus. You're wonderful with him. And I truly believe he values your opinion of him. He just has trouble showing it," she said, reaching out to give his hand a quick squeeze. Was it her imagination or did Marcus seem sad?

He couldn't help but grin at her when she accepted his invitation. She was going to really love the place. He did, even if it was a little more slower than what he was usually used to.

Marcus listened quietly as Iliana spoke about Jake and he pulled a few blades of grass and ran them through his fingers, thinking about what she had said. "It's okay Ili. I don't want Jake to think that you have betrayed his confidence." He raised an eyebrow and looked at her skeptically. "I hung him from the ceiling by his underpants Iliana. I don't think that's being wonderful and then I set up a meeting with his old Prefect and apparently that didn't go down to well."

Marcus sighed deeply and laid back down on the grass. "I can tell that underneath all his anger there is a good kid there. I just don't know how to reach him."

"Its fine, Marcus," she said reassuringly. This was why they were here after all. "I'm sure anything I happen to say will stay between us."

"You did what?" she exclaimed, trying to control her laughter. "...by his underpants! – HA! – That's ingenious. And – hehe – did it work to control the situation?" she asked between giggles. That was one for the books. She'd have to remember to write that one down once back at the hut. "I wish that I could have been there."

Once enough of the laughter had subsided to speak properly, she cleared her throat and smiled. "You know, my track record is a bit worse," she confessed. "The day Jake broke my leg; I sent soooo many hexes his way. He's been detained, silenced, levitated, bound..." she could go on and on. "...and all by me, his loving professor," she said, rolling her eyes. "But Marcus, he made his bed..." she said as if that was all the justification she needed. Though in all reality, if Jake wanted to continue causing trouble, well... he would have to live with the consequences.

Hearing his deep sigh, Iliana spread out on the grass beside him, lying flat on her stomach with her ankles crossed behind her. "We give it our best shot, you know. That's all that we can expect of ourselves." At least he cared enough to try.

Marcus looked up into the sky and squinted against the brightness of the sun. "I want Jake to feel that he can confide in me you know? I don't want to go to him knowing all his secrets first because I think my reaction to whatever his problem is, will matter a great deal to him."

Listening to Iliana laugh, Marcus couldn't help but laugh as well. "There wasn't much he could do hanging from the ceiling, so he was rather quiet but I think it made him even an angrier." He turned his head and looked over at Ili and smirked. "Iliana Morgan, you would not be able to stand seeing one of your students being tormented that way." He may not know her that well yet but he could tell that she really cared for her students and seeing them in any sort of distress would upset her greatly.

Not even what she said next changed his mind. "Yes and I bet you felt really bad after you did all those things to him didn't you?" Marcus turned on his side and propped himself onto his elbow. "All it would have taken was a couple of tears and I bet you anything that you were consoling him." He chuckled softly, "Not that's it's a bad thing to care about your students so much" he added.

He matched her sigh and nodded. "This is very true. But...oh I don't know. I feel as though I was meant to help Jake out." Marcus shrugged, he couldn't explain it even if he tried to.

"I can respect that," Iliana said. She wondered if it would serve any purpose to tell Marcus that, contrary to what he believed, even she didn't know all of Jake's secrets. Whatever amount of time Jake spent with her, he was never exactly forthcoming. All she really did know was how unhappy he could be at times. And that he missed his father terribly. Other than that, she was just as clueless as Lawson.

"I think 'tormented' is putting it a bit harsh. I doubt he sustained any real injuries during the incident, other than a little damage to his pride." Granted she did have that inexplicable need to protect him. Although now that Jack was gone, the only person Jake needed protection from was himself.

Oh Merlin, did he ever have her pegged, She thought with a soft laugh. "Actually I did. Cried like a baby right in front of him," she admitted. "Am I that obvious?" she asked, blushing slightly before smiling at his at his next comment.

She looked out across the pond again and found herself surprised to see the sun was starting to set. Had it gotten that late already? "You're a good person Marcus," she said, turning her head towards him. "And maybe we still can," she said, thinking out loud.

"Yes, you're that obvious" he replied with a chuckle. "But at least the kids know that you care about them. I care. I just have a lot of trouble showing it." Marcus ran his fingers through his hair and sighed softly. "I never expected to care about them so much, but they do tend to grow on you don't they?" Never in a million years would the thought of having kids of his own have ever entered his mind but watching the students at Hogwarts, they were slowly changing his mind.

Marcus, followed her gaze over to the pond and he turned back to Iliana. "It's getting late. We should probably get the Abraxan's back to the stables." He stood up and offered her his hand. "We could always head down to the three broomsticks and grab a drink and continue our talks?"

Still blushing at what he said, Iliana looked over at Marcus and smiled. "I suppose they do at that," she laid her hand on his and met his gaze. "Marcus, I'm sure the kids know you care." He had a kindness to him that even young kids would identify with.

Looking up at Trinity, Iliana nodded her head. "Yeah, you're probably right. I don't usually keep her out this late." Taking his hand, Iliana pulled herself up and brushed the grass from her robes. "Thanks," she said with a smile. The Three Broomsticks was a perfect idea. A cold drink was just what she needed. "Race ya back?" she asked, flinging herself back onto Trinity's back.

He squeezed her hand softly and met her gaze. "Thanks" he replied simply as he pulled her gently back to her feet. Marcus watched as she brushed herself off and then looked back out over the view again. He would have to remember to come back out here again. It was rather peaceful...a great place to think and it seemed he needed to do a lot of that lately.


Marcus chuckled as she got back on her Abraxan and he quickly followed suit. "I'm not going to make it that easy for you this time Morgan" he laughed as he spurred the Abraxan on. This had been one of the most enjoyable afternoons he'd had in a long time and it wasn't over yet.