Oakey was going on his typical walk around the Grounds. Before they *ehem* Professor Bellaire blew the plant up, Oakey had been keeping his walks indoors and around others.

But now it was all over and Oakey could finally go back outside in a free non-deadly-man-eating-plant Grounds. He had overheard what had happened to to Mr.Gibbins' wombat and felt awful about it, that's why he was carrying a certain small cage with him at the time. He intended to give the Groundskeeper something back.

He stopped by the Playground and saw Minerva sitting in it, looking pretty upset. He came in and took a seat next to her a small see-saw. "Hey Minerva." Oakey said with a Sympathetic smile. "You doing okay?"

Minerva looked up and wiped her eyes. Of all people to come in it was Oakey. They had such a rocky friendship this term, but things were better now she thought at least. "I'm fine Oakey, just so much that had happened this term." She had pulled her legs to her chest and was holding them tightly. "I was going to see Mr. Gibbins, but stopped here. I'm not sure why, I watched that thing take Millie right here." She felt her voice get shaky again.

She then laughed a bit, "You know Oakey, you and I haven't been on good terms this term, but I have to say.. I get the plant fear. I don't ever want to see another plant again if I can help it." She had her fill of plants and wanted to stay far away from them. All the time she had interactions with that stupid thing, "You know that day you came to the hot springs and that vine was around me.. Just think if it would have drug me.." She didn't even want to finish that sentence, it was on her mind so much lately after everything that had gone on.

What no! The Plant fear thing was his, and possibly Milton's now. "Minerva, it's not all plants." He tried to say reassuringly to her."You did a lot better than I would have in the Green House. I just froze, you went right at it to try and free Milton." He set the cage down beside him as she explained being there watching Millie being dragged off, what an awful sight that must have been. "What about Pepper?" Oakey asked unaware of what happened to the dog.

and speaking of those bad terms. "I've been meaning to apologize actually." He frowned and tried to look Minerva in the eyes, which had become difficult since she took up the fetal position. "You were right about Elliot. I had no idea she was so hateful to my heritage, to you, and to Sophie." He placed a hand on her shoulder to try and get her to look up. "I'm sorry I doubted, and yelled at you for being mean to her."

"I know it's not all plants, and I'll be fine after a break from all of this." Minerva shook her head, "It was just to many times near that thing I guess. To many times watching it wrap it's stupid vines around people." She shuddered a bit. "I don't know what happened to Pepper, when I got here that day Millie was alone. I sat with Millie right here. Was trying to figure out whether to look for Pepper or not when Alexa came. As we talked about it, that thing came and hit me and Alexa then took Millie." She hated not knowing what happened to the dog. She really wished they could have found her. "We went looking for Pepper, but never found her. I wish I knew what happened to her."

Minerva felt his hand on her shoulder and looked up at him, "It's fine Oakey, I think many people fall into her trap. It just hurt that day you took her side. That's why I have been so upset this term with you, but I'm over it now and I'm glad you know who she is now." She tried to smile to reassure that she was not upset with him. "So you and Sophie are dating now?" Yes, she was changing the subject from Elliot, it was not a subject she wanted to stay on long.

Glad to have that out of the way and a friendship rekindled with Minerva. Oakey gave off a soft smile. "I suppose we are, I mean after my rather public confession, and public display of affection it'd be weird if we weren't" he laughed some at the thought of Sophie not dating him after that kiss.

Oakey thought on this, so she and Alexa only saw Millie being taken away, but not Pepper. "Maybe she just ran off?" Oakey said trying to think positively. Well mostly it's never good when a Dog runs away, but it's better than being taken by the Plant.
"She may come back on her own, dogs tend to do that."

It was one of those days that would usually bring a smile to Sebastian's face. The sky was one of those bright blues and the sun was actually radiating some heat. It was nowhere near as hot as it got in Australia, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Unfortunately though, there was no smile on his face as he made his way around to the back of his hut with intentions of finishing off the coffee table he had been carving. He had been working particularly hard on that table. It was the only thing that seemed to take his mind off losing Millie. To a plant of all things.

Just as he rounded the corner of his hut, hs gaze immediately went to the playground and they rested on two familiar figures. He put down his carving tools and walked over to the two young Hufflepuffs. "Hello Minvera, Oakey. How are you two doing?"

Minerva couldn't help but smile as he talked about Sophie, "Well I'm glad to see you happy Oakey even if you confessed to the entire school and all those media people at the end of the match." Minerva giggled thinking about his confession. He then talked about Pepper and tried to be positive, she was great full for his positive ways with the situation, but Minerva just couldn't be that positive after everything that had gone on. "I hope that too, but it's been so long since she has been seen last. I'm not sure if we will see her again."

Just as she was going to ask Oakey about summer plans she turned hearing another voice. She couldn't help feeling emotions tug at her when she saw Mr. Gibbins, "Hello Sir, I was actually coming to see you, but stopped here first." She looked around the playground an then back to him, "I just wanted to come and see how you were doing. With everything that has went on, I haven't made it down here since that forest day." She looked up at him and wasn't sure how to ask the question that was sitting on her brain, one that had been there since that day. "Ummm...has there ever been a sign of Pepper?"

Riiiight there was that too. Oakey was so in the moment of winning the Quidditch Cup his mind blanked to only Sophie and no one else in the crowd. Not the Scouts, or the Media or anyone, just Sophie. "Don't remind me." He said shaking his head at the thought being known as the Boy in Love. The trying his best to be optimistic about it just smiled at Minerva."I'm sure she's fine where ever she is."

There he was! Oakey hopped up from the See-Saw and grabbed the small cage he set on the ground Earlier. "Mr. Gibbins. I was actually looking for you as well." He took a step forward and held out the small cage revealing a horned toad sitting inside of it. "I had heard what happened to Millie and with Pepper gone too." He frowned, he liked Pepper and really did hope that the dog would come back. "I thought that maybe I would re-gift Earl Grey to you."
The toad was originally supposed to be for Aegis, his Gaurdian's nephew. Since Christmas though, the toad found it's way into one of Oakey's bags and back to Hogwarts.

A small smile made its way onto Seb's face. The concern these two students were showing was very touching and it brightened his spirits just a little. "I'm doing okay." So long as he didn't think about it too much and kept busy.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet. Minnie's question caused him to wince a little. "Some of the Centaurs reported seeing her in the forest." Seb was hoping that they got to her before anything else did, because he had no idea how he was going to explain to his daughter and her husband that he'd lost their dog. It was bad enough that he'd lost Millie.

And then Oakey did one of the nicest things he'd ever seen and Seb took his hands out of his pockets and held them up. "You don't have to do that Oakey. Wasn't it a gift for a friend of yours?"

Minerva frowned, that was not the news she was hoping for. "Well hopefully they will keep an eye out and if you need me to go back in there with you before we leave to look again I can." She didn't want to give up hope and it would always be on her mind. "If we leave and she does turn up, could you owl me and let me know." That would help and she wouldn't mind a letter from anyone at Hogwarts while she was home for summer. Trying to change the subject a little Minerva gave a weak smile, "Any big plans this summer sir?"

She then sat and listened to Oakey, he got up and gave that toad to Gibbins. Wasn't that the same toad that jumped all over them at the Three Broom Sticks, their first visit. Minerva couldn't help but smile thinking about that day with Keefer and the rest of the quidditch team. That goofy thing jumping all over them. Leave it to Oakey to give it away as a gift, but it was nice of him to do.

He smiled at Minerva, her concern for Mr.Gibbins' dog was heartwarming. Going into the forrest though, not a chance. There were things in there far worse than a man-eating plant, just not as scarey.

He lowered the cage with Earl Grey inside when Mr. Gibbins put his hands out. He was right the toad was rightfully his pesky little so-called younger brother's, but the brat could wait. Aegis already had Oakey owl familiar, and pet cat to play with when he got home. Not to mention the colony of gnomes he befriended and lured into Granny Gunter's garden.

So Oakey wasn't going to back down, "Mr. Gibbins, please. At least take him until Pepper comes back."He raised the cage once more almost having it touch the Groundskeeper's hands. If there was friend...a staff?...a guy? in need a pet right now, that would be Mr.Gibbins, and he had Oakey offering him that in the form of a toad...take what you can get right?

"That's very nice of you to offer Minerva, but I've got some eyes and ears out for her in the forest. And besides you have done more than enough for me and Pepper and..." he trailed off not wanting to finish that sentence. He was sure the young Hufflepuff knew who he meant.

His poor little Millie. He didn't even have a body to lay to rest. It was as though she never existed.

"I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I know anything." he said, giving her a smile. She was such a sweet kid. And Seb, was also grateful for the subject change. "Not really big plans, no. Just house hunting. I want to move back to the UK." Without his daughter Mia living in the commune anymore and Ruby leaving him a year ago, he didn't feel the need to stay there.

Sebastian had met some pretty nice kids during his year at Hogwarts but none of them even came close to these two that were standing in front him. He hesitated for a moment before taking the cage out of Oakey's hands. He looked at the toad that had caused so much chaos and who was named after a tea and smiled. This one selfless act made him feel so much better and he held his hand out towards Oakey. "Thank you very much. This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me."

Minerva frowned as he trailed off. She hated she couldn't have done more that day for Millie. She was glad though that in the end that plant got what it deserved and that she was there to witness it's end. She smiled as Mr. Gibbins took the toad, well he was going to have his hands full now with that thing, but it was nice of Oakey to give him the gift.

As he agreed to send her an owl if Pepper would turn up, Minerva smiled, at least that could be one worry solved if the dog came back, but her smile turned into a bit of a frown. "Moving back to the UK?" She wasn't sure where he lived before, so she didn't know if this was good or bad. "Mr. Gibbins, I know bad things happened this year with Millie and Pepper missing, but you will come back here next term, right?" She really liked Mr. Gibbins, he kind of fell into a father position this term for her and she didn't want to think that losing his pets might make him not come back. Vindy was already not coming back and with the plant eating two other professors, she didn't want anymore changes.