Hearing a subtle knock on her door, Madam Donovan shifted in her chair and called out, "Yes? Please come in."

Cass opens the door and enters the office of his Head of House.

"Hello, Madam Donovan, sorry if I am interrupting you you but I thought with all the changes in staff and such it may be a good idea to make sure it is ok if I keep using the D.A.D.A. practice room and at times some areas on the grounds to practice my martial arts. Currently I have limited myself to my dorm room after my room mates have left. I do need a larger area to really practice my forms and full katas." He goes quiet and watches Madam Donovan shyly and nervously at this point, some witches and wizards do not like anything muggle related and he does not want to upset his Head of House.

Madam Donovan smiled and motioned to the chair in front of her desk. "You're not interrupting at all. Please have a seat," she said.

She pondered over the boy's apparent dilemma, trying to formulate a workable solution. After a few moments of silence, she cleared her thought and said, "I suggest you ask the Headmaster directly in regards to the practice room. He's a very reasonable man. I'm sure he'll appreciate you asking his permission. As for practicing on the grounds... I am willing to speak to the Groundskeeper on your behalf. Is there anything specific that I need to know? A certain amount of space you'll need... ?"

Cass seated himself while telling the Head of House his 'problem' and then quietly listened to her suggestions. "See the Headmaster about the Practice Room, I will if it is the best way to do it, though to date I have never had to see him for any reason. At least it is not because I am in trouble." Cass goes quiet as he thinks of anything special needed for his practice before answering her question.

"As to special needs or items, one is permission to practice with the few weapons I have been taught recently, as in over the last summer break, I am guessing I will need to also ask the Headmaster on that score as well. The only other things I can think of is some striking targets, which I know the Practice room has but not the grounds. Also some of my katas require me to practice aerial moves and attacks, so having trees, walls, and such to spring off of and change directions with would be nice." He thinks some more about the space needed, "Outside the best space would be about twice the size of the D.A.D.A. Practice Room, maybe a little larger."

"I know this may sound odd to you, but my mother's family have been practicing magic and martial arts for centuries I believe, and while I have not been taught to combine the two Arts, it is the final part of my training. Which will not happen to I have come of age and mastered the base Martial Arts and Magical Arts first. My mother's family have been protectors and guardians to all, Muggle and Magical, alike. I am just starting to learn how hard to tradition is, protecting the magical world and protecting the muggle world as well... while keeping one secret from the other at the same time."

Cass sighs, "I am sorry if I am rambling, but there is not one that I know of like me here. So I sometimes just start to talk when I bring this up to others like a teacher or such."

Lexi, with little Alice in tow, stepped up to Kimber's door and gave a light knock. Turning to smile at Alice she said, "She is really quite lovely... it takes some getting to know her I suppose." She was once quite afraid of Madame Donovan... not so much anymore. The woman was like a lifeline for Lexi. Her reason to stay at Hogwarts... aside from Salander. Hehe.

The word "weapons" lodged in Kimber's mind, making it just about impossible to pay attention to much else.

"Look, before we go any further, you need to understand that weapons of ANY kind are not allowed at Hogwarts. Do you have these items here with you now? In your dorm room perhaps?"

Hearing the door again, the Librarian lifted her head and called out, "Yes? The door is unlocked. Please come in."

Hearing Madame Donovan call out Lexi smiled and opened the door, peeking her head in a bit. "I hope I am not interrupting anything, Madame. I just wanted to... talk with you a bit. Alice and I, that is," she said with a smile as her eyes landed on the other Gryffie in the office. Oh well..

Lexi opened the door up wider and strode inside. Hellllo Lexi Denver is more important... she has issues. Madame Donovan needs to FIX her, other Gryffie. Lexi would sadface him if she had to. SADFACE.

Alice, who couldn't help that her palms were sweaty, gave Lexi a little smile at her reassurance that Madame Donovan was a nice woman. "I can't help but feeling slightly nervous when I meet new people for the first time. Guess it's normal I suppose," Alice said with a nervous chuckle. She did feel much better having Lexi, who already knew her, there for the introductions.

She gave a little jump when she heard the woman's voice motion that they were allowed to enter. Here goes nothing...

Cass actually smiled at her here, "No, that is why I ask. And I can tell now the answer is no so it will not change. I will concentrate on forms and base Katas as I did last year and so far this year." This was not unexpected as it was a school rule, but his uncle had wanted him to ask. "It is just that my Uncle wanted to see if arrangements could be made. I and my parents expected the answer so nothing was sent with me." He shrugs, and sighs slightly, "So do I need to repeat everything else as it seems you were caught on that part?"

Cass nods to the two girls that enter at Madame Donovan's call but keeps his attention on his Head of House, feeling his uncle is going to get him into trouble, honestly a school allowing weapons...

"Hello, Lexi," Madam Donovan said. "I'm glad you're here. I was just about to send for you. Have a seat." Yes, they had much to talk about. GOOD news for a change. Well... sort of.
Kimber's eyes fell on the much younger Gryffindor in tow and waved her over. "Come on inside, Alice?" Yes, Lexi had either said "Alice" or "Alex". Either way, she was close enough. "Join us," she offered, conjuring up another chair so that her office accommodated them all.
Now back to the business at hand.

"Very well, Cass," Kimber said, a relieved smile on her face. She had to fight back an amused look at his next comment, tickled by his candor. "Not at all," she replied. "I will stop by the groundskeeper's this afternoon and get back to you with an answer. Thank you for stopping by."

Lexi shook her head and patted Alice on the shoulder. "Nothing to worry about, love. Nothing at all. Just relax," she said to her little friend.

Lexi beamed at her HoH and nodded her head. Waitt... she was going to send for her? Was she in trouble? Oh Merlin and Morgana...

Lexi took a seat as directed and tried to keep the worry from her face. She smiled as much as possible even as her heart raced. Alice's chair was conjured and Lexi wanted to hold the girl's hand.

"H-h-how have you been, Madame? Have things been well?" she croaked out. WHY was she so nervous? What if she WAS in trouble. Why else would her Head of House be sending for her?

In view of Lexi's sudden nervous mannerisms, Madam Donovan raised an eyebrow at her. "Relax, Lex," she said, using the girl's nickname to set her at ease. "Things have been... fine," she lied. "But we do have matters to discuss. Thank you for stopping by."

Okay... relax... matters to discuss. Not bad, she hoped... Lexi threw a glance at Alice and wondered if she should be here for this discussion or not. Well... thing is... Alice knew that Lexi's family was missing and all that.

Turning back to Madame Donovan she smiled weakly and nodded her head. "Yes, mam. What is it you want to discuss?" she asked... kind of getting the feeling she already knew.

Madam Donovan looked at Lexi and gestured towards Alice with her head. "Erm... maybe we should speak in private, dear?" she offered. "This is a... personal matter, you realize." Not that she was trying to chase Alice out of the room. But well...

Lexi chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, her head going back and forth between Alice and Madame Donovan. Hmmm.

"No, it's alright, mam. Alice and I are very close. You can speak freely in front of her," she said finally. Lexi then smiled over at Alice and nodded her head.

Perhaps this would show other Lions that their Head of House was approachable and helpful. Mhm.

Cass nods to her, "Thank you for your time. And I will be going to see the Headmaster as soon as I can about using The D.A.D.A. practice room as well. I do need to practice both inside and outside." He gives Madam Donovan and bow and quietly leaves her office.

OOC: Sorry been busy lately.

After the unpleasant experience with Professor Lafay, he was quite discouraged to do that nevertheless Josh found himself standing before the door to Madam Donovan's office with an avarage bouquet of flowers in his hands. White ones this time for his head of house. Unfortunately there was no box of chocolates with him this time to give her because Lafay had burned the last box he had and he neither had enough money left to buy another nor found a suitable time to visit Hogsmeade to find some. Sighing slightly, the boy just stared at the door for a couple of minutes thinking of the possible outcomes of doing that. He did not know how Donovan was feeling about him lately and he did not think she could be loving him if he had heard about the last incident at the Quidditch field. So this was pretty risky. But it was what Josh usually did, was not it. Taking risks for good purposes.

So, at last, raising his hand he knocked on the door trying to be gentle with it as if it was alive. Well...his punches had broken so many noses so far in or out Hogwarts, so he was fearing that his knocking would be too hard and rude. Hopefully it did not come to his ears like that. Now to wait for the woman. Maybe she was not inside. Maybe or maybe not. He was going to see about that and more.

With Cass now leaving and Lexi's go ahead, Madam Donovan gave her a nod and cleared her throat. Poor Lexi had gone without knowing ALL term long. It was time to put an end to her worrying.

"There is really no delicate way to put this, Lexi...." she said solemnly. "Your mother has been located." There! Good news delivered... Now for the bad. *sighs*

"From what my sources have learned, she was abducted from somewhere in Knockturn Alley right before the beginning of term. She has now been released from her captor but there's no way of knowing what state we may find her in." In other words, what damage has been done.

"Please keep in mind that I am available to speak to you at length if you'd like and I will help you in any way that I can. But I need to hear your plans for reuniting with her." She couldn't afford to have Lexi go off half-cocked and risk getting herself hurt. She wouldn't allow that to happen.


Kimber looked at the door with a completely distracted look on her face. 'Not right now,' she thought to herself. She needed just a little more time.

"Please take a seat outside the door," she called out. "I'll be right with you.

Lexi's breath caught in her throat as Madame Donovan spoke. Her mum had been located? JUST her mum though? Well. That was something anyway.

Her lips started to pull up into a smile until... she heard the rest of the news. "Abducted? Someone took her? Wh-why... why would someone take my mummy from me?" Lexi said in a broken voice as she clamped her eyes shut tight. Her head was spinning... she felt sick.

Standing up she gripped the edge of Kimber's desk and held tightly as she opened her eyes and looked at the Head of house, bottom lip wibbling, and said, "Well. I suppose if she wants to see me she will contact me, won't she. She got abducted...not the rest of my family. Where the HELL have they been all this time? I have been scared to death and they are probably off somewhere on holiday. Perhaps they have been at the bech house all this time. Who knows."

Without really thinking about it she banged her hand on the desk violently and shouted, "Who would DO THIS TO ME?!" Not expecting to get an answer, nor did she really want to hear it... she turned on her heel and made her way from the office and headed toward her common room. She would thank Madame Donovan later... when she had processed all of it and sent owls to her family...

Hmmm. Josh impatiently sighed as he stood right before the door looking down at the flowers wondering how their fate was going to be. Burned like the red roses or appreciated? Well...considering the late issues, especially the last chaos he had caused, the boy thought it was unlikely that Madam Donovan was going to embrace him with a loving demeanor but he hoped at least she'd throw them at his face or else instead of burning them into a pile of ash.

When he heard the woman's voice, The Gryffindor looked up towards the closed door as if he was going to be able to see through it. What a stupid act. Whatever. What was she saying? Ah! It sounded like she was busy so he had just chose the wrong time to visit her. Then perhaps he had better go back to the common room. Or no. This was a no. She had said she'd be there so it'd be very rude to knock the door then leave. He could wait after all, he knew being impatient was in his nature but thanks to Evelyn, he had practiced waiting for someone enough to deal with it.

But taking a seat here? He definitely did not need to take a seat. Sitting was boring. So the Gryffindor boy walked to the wall next to the office door and leaned against it. Now with this he was fine and....What was going on? As he heard raised voices coming from the office, Josh felt the sudden urge of seeing what was happening so he could help yet he stopped himself when he recalled a certain person's warning about his tendecy of being unnecessarily involved with almost everyone's problems. So stay where you are, stay cool.

Then, not much time passed and a girl, Lexi she was if he was not mistaken, suddenly rushed out the office. Looking confused, the boy's brown eyes followed her till she had turned the corner. Wow. That was probably a big problem yet the girl looked like she'd kill him if he ever asked about it.

Wow

Kimber watched as Lexi took the news, less than desirably, and stormed out of her office. Her reaction wasn't a shock. Actually it was to be expected. Though being blunt was Madam Donovan's only approach. She wasn't going to coddle the Gryffindor and honesty was always better than sugar-coating the truth.

With a long, drawn out sigh, the Librarian called for the student waiting outside. "Next," she said listlessly.

Finally, it was his turn. Smiling to himself, Josh quickly pushed himself off the wall and walked towards the door. He had no idea how Madam Donovan was going to react to his presence, at least she would not hex him and use him as a wall decoration for her office. Well...maybe not. Swallowing once, he carefully took the white flowers in one hand and opened the door as slowly as he could since it was well known that sometimes he was too harsh with doors and doing that would surely look extremely rude here.

Once his eyes spotted the woman inside, the sixteen year old boy stopped at the doorsill for a moment and smiled at her as kindly as he could. Then he continued walking inside closing the door behind himself. And once he looked back at her, he cleared his throat ''Hello Madam. I hope i am not disturbing you or stealing a time that you have been planning to rest or something''