Transfiguration's Office

Kiara nodded but sighed as she stood at the door about to leave "He was merely concerned for you Eglantine.. he seemed troubled and I asked him what was wrong he told me. " shaking her head she turned out the door. Eglantine didn't seem to need any help, so she would leave her in peice. Hopeully she would see both professors in the great hall together.

Now to see how Horatio was...

Eglantine closed the door after Kiara and closed the heavy book. She no longer held any desire to read its dark secrets. Excessum sent a shock of energy through her shaking hand and she hurriedly removed her hand from it.

"I know, Kiara..." she muttered, remembering her daughter's words and Horatio's careful hand against her cheek. She thought about following Kiara and vowing to destroy Excessum and beg her and then Horatio for forgiveness, but she remained behind the desk. Excessum held no control over Eglantine DeLanquar...save for the power she gave it over her.

((Different time from above))

"You have no right to enter my office and demand to see the Headmistress." Eglantine stated softly but firmly. She was seated behind her desk, with the raven haired lawyer and her more than annoying client, standing in front of her like vultures.

Lalasa Pavon was tall, pale, pretty and determined. She had the look of a seasoned lawyer despite her obvious lack of years. No doubt not a day over 30, Eglantine had already decided she didn't like the woman. And Molly VanCallum, young, red head and ravishing, she was obviously not someone one wanted to fight with. She had a temper by her tapping foot.

"On the contrary, we have every right, Miss Rosier." Eglantine sighed at Pavon's baiting.
"Oh please... do you honestly believe you can anger me by using my maiden name?" Eglantine asked, glancing to the door and hoping Horatio would return with Kiara soon. She had spotted them in the hallway only forty minutes back.

"I believe that you and Miss Riddle are too closely related to not protect one another..." Pavon replied, emotions in careful order. "You not only adopted her as your legal daughter, but you are her birth mother... isn't that correct?"

The blood drained from Eglantine's face.
"What..." Pavon cut her off.
"No need to say anything, Professor. I have her birth certificate copies and know that her father was Tom Riddle." She smirked slightly as Molly took a seat at the desk, in the student's seat. Noticing how pale Eglantine had become, Pavon smiled. "No need to worry, ma'am. We aren't here to bother you or Kiara. We only want Ciaran..."

Kiara quickly put her cloth away upon getting closer to Eglantines office.

"I don't understand what she is here to accomplish" she hissed, clearly not happy she had gone to the extent to get s lawyer.

"I don't like it, she is up to something, and it is giving me a bad feeling, one simply doesn't hire a lawyer if they do not believe they can win" she at the door of the office.

Seemingly in a matter of seconds she entered her "lawyer mode" and she opened the door to Eglantines office.

"What is this about Miss. VanCallum?" she asked blunt and to the point.

"This is about Ciaran McConn, your fiance', Headmistress." Pavon stated calmly, a respectful tone lacing her words. "So, if you cooperate, I'll make this brief and accommodate you and your mother.

Eglantine levitated to a standing position, shaking terribly. "Kiara," she whispered. "Make them leave." Molly rolled her eyes.

"Nothing is that easy, lady." she murmured, glancing from Eglantine to Kiara and then to Ciaran, who looked fit to kill.

Horatio's fingers clenched into fists in anger.

Kiara's eyes flashed, "Accomedate my mother and I? what is the meaning of this?" she hissed dangerously as she cut across the office Eglantines side.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly and concern in her voice.

Turning back to Molly and Pavon, she hissed "You have no business here at this time of night tourmanting Professor Delanquar and wasteing mine and Ciaran's time. I suggest you leave before I have you are both banished from the grounds" she said with glare.

The nerve of them, first they come in and upset Eglantine, and they demand to have Ciaran, no she would not have any of it.

Pavon sighed, removing her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Do not tell me about tormenting..." she stated, placing her glasses back on and meeting Kiara's eyes. "Imagine how it would be if you had to raise a child all by yourself. A child who is now without a father, because the father claims she isn't his child." A click echoed through the room as she opened her briefcase and pulled out a crisp paper.
"Birth certificate... Ciaran's name is on it." she stated, neutral in tone.

Molly folded her arms. "I told you to be careful about him, Kiara... but you just didn't listen."

Eglantine nodded slowly, relaxing slightly when Horatio joined her at her other side. "I am fine. But I want Lalasa out of here. Now..." her voice was shaking but held a firmness. Horatio's jaw tightened as he wrapped an arm around Eglantine's waist to support her.

"My nephew did not father a child with you, Miss VanCallum." he thundered, eyes sharp with anger.

Kiara sighed and looked at the certifiactate, yep his name was on it but that proved nothing. Shaking her head she handed the piece of paper back to Lalasa. "This proves nothing" she said back in a attempted neutral voice, though it was hard concidering this was involving Ciaran entirely and his honor was on the line. It angered her to no end. Plus the fact they were upsetting her mother and father and fuelled that.

She sent a glance at Eglantine and nodded, just Lalasa? what was it about this woman? she hoped her curious glance was enough to get the message across.

"If you insist on this foolishness, lets go my office, Professor Delanquar obviously wishes you to leave hers" she said eyeing Lalasa carefully.

The she sent a glare to Molly, before going to stand beside Ciaran. Her stance and look were enough to detemine who she believed.

"Oh I listened Miss, VanCullan, I listened and concluded that you are wrong" she said

There were a number of things one could do to falsifiy a birth certificate. And really to involve all these people like this, this could only be an attempt to get to Ciaran.

She nodded in agreement with Horatio's statment, her postion on that matter would not change.

Pavon nodded, sliding the certificate back into the briefcase. "I am certain that Professor DeLanquar is simply uncomfortable due to my own parentage." She explained, a small smile lighting her eyes. "But is greatly concerned about what I know of yours, Headmistress. Voldemort's cousin is one thing... his daughter is quite another."

Ciaran's mouth dropped open, closing quickly. It was a lie and he was going to make sure the woman never dared try to hurt his fiance' again. As an auror it was within his rights to order someone off property, unless they had direct permission or a warrant. These women had neither.

"I want ya off this property..." he stated, his voice low and leaving no room for argument. "If ya be wanting to bring this up, ya'll have to come to me office tomorrow." Pavon nodded, indifferent as she motioned for Molly to stand.

"Very well, sounds perfect." she nodded, heading for the door. Turning back momentarily, she glanced at Kiara. "It is nice to see you again, under better circumstances." And with that parting, Molly and her slid out the door.

Horatio helped Eglantine sit down, gently patting her hand and kissing her forehead.
"What was all this about?" he asked, quieter, but nonetheless angry. "What did she mean by saying you were Riddle's daughter and that she had seen you before?" he asked Kiara.

Ciaran glanced over at his fiance' as well, curious and supportive.

Kiara paled at the words out of Lalasas mouth and her eyes widened, She knew...? The only people who were supposed to know were herself, her 'uncle;, Eglantine and Charles Delanquar.

She blinked when Lalasa left, Better circumstanses? She didn't recall meeting her before..... Then it clicked, or at least she thought it did, She brought a shaking hand to her face. Could she have been Delanquar's daughter? was she in the clearing that night she confronted Charles?

She blinked away tears as she looked at Horatio and Eglantine, she dearly hoped Horatio and Ciaran didn't think she had lied to them about her and Voldemort... she had not ment to.

"I am not sure why she brought this up, but...... she speaks the truth... Voldemort is my biological father and as for how we may have met before, I am not sure... I have a guess..."

She looked at Eglantine, "She is one of Charles Delanquars daughters isn't she?" she asked quietly.

Eglantine nodded slowly, not looking up from where she was staring into the desk.
"How could that be?" Ciaran asked, both curious and confused. Cousin was one thing easily explained away, but daughter... that was a bit harder for him to wrap his mind around.

"Charles' eldest... little she-demon." Horatio muttered, torn between going to make sure they got off-property and staying to help Kiara and Eglantine. "Why didn't you ever say this before?" he asked, blinking. Neither he nor Ciaran looked angry, just confused.

"She did not know." Eglantine murmured. "Charles confronted her with the information and...she had not known before that." Horatio sighed.
"Well at least she told you." he nodded, relieved that Kiara had not had to keep the information all bundled up by herself. Eglantine burst into tears and he gently wrapped his arms around her, trying to figure out what he had said to warrant the sobbing.

Kiara went to Eglantines side and rubbed her shoulder, she didn't say anything, it was Eglantines choice if she wished to reveal herself as her real mother

She looked at Ciaran and Horatio as she tried to explain as much as she could, without saying anything about Eglantine.

"Voldemort came back for a short time the late part of 1987, in which time he met a young witch.... they had a child, that child was me. Not long after I was born the mothers family had me put up for adoption, and I happened to end up in the hands of Voldemorts younger brother and his wife after they lost there baby..." she said.

"As for Lalasa.... She must have been in the clearing with her father when I confronted him" She said with a sigh looking at Eglantines weeping form sadly. Almost wishing she hadn't revealed her true parentage to her, she was so burdened by it.

But she would have found out eventually, so.... it had been for the best.

Ciaran nodded, staying by the door. He wanted to go to Kiara and assure her that it did not change anything about his feelings or deep love for her, but he didn't think now was the right time. After all, Kiara and Horatio were both trying to comfort Eglantine and he would only interfere.

"Eglantine..." Horatio murmured. "What did Lalasa do or say to you before I brought Kiara back?" he asked, thinking that must be the reason behind the tears. Eglantine looked up from the desk and into his kind blue eyes. She dared not tell him... it would not only break his heart, but crush his trust in her. She had known Horatio for a long time. Excessum he could forgive... Voldemort's lover, she wasn't so sure about.
"It was me..." she whispered, "I was the witch." Horatio blinked, cleared his throat and then blinked again.

His mind was racing. Why did every possible evil have to happen to the fragile woman before him? Was it some laughing member of fate, who enjoyed tormenting them? He closed his eyes. Tom Riddle... the greatest dark lord of their time and Eglantine. 1988... she had only been 21, old enough to be an adult witch, but obviously young enough to be tempted. He remembered when she had been that young. A smiling slip of a girl, shadow haunting her every step and a twinkle that turned men's heads with her every blink.

Had she really turned Voldemort's head? Or had he seduced her? Cursed her with some terrible unknown spell that forced... no, Horatio let that thought trail off and fade away. Eglantine, even at 21, had been a strong witch. She had known exactly who and what Tom Riddle had been. Just like Excessum, the desire for the darkness and power of the world had given her Riddle and in turn... Kiara.

"Eglantine..." he murmured. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, battling with the twisted emotions to remain calm.
"I did not know... it was erased." she dropped her eyes, but not before he saw the shame and self-loathing.
"Sweetbriar...look at me." he whispered, carefully lifting her teary chin. "It does not matter." it did, but he wasn't going to admit that, not even to himself. "I still love you and will always love you. We all do things we regret, especially in our youth." he himself had done things beyond words in his youth and mid-life. "And you got Kiara out of it... That makes it better than a regretted act." he tried to smile, but a tear slid down his cheek.

"You are lying, Horatio." Eglantine returned, her shaking hand caressing his weathered cheek. "And you are a terrible liar."

Ciaran took the moment to go to Kiara, offering what support he could by placing a warm hand on her back. "I do not think Lalasa will be coming to Hogwarts again." he murmured. "We can talk to her in me office... no need to worry."

"Ta athas fearg...bean mo chroi" (I am sorry...Woman of my heart) he sighed, worried by how cold her hand was. Eglantine smiled, rather bitterly.
"You are too good for me." she returned. "Please leave me. Please..."

Horatio stiffened and hardened, a large smile forming on his face.
"You cannot get rid of me that easily." he admonished. "I'm afraid you're stuck with this old man for a long long time."

Kiara wanted to comfort Eglantine but it seemed Horatio could only do that at the moment.

She turned to Ciaran and nodded, and hugged him. "I hope you are right, I just wonder what she has up her sleeve, what does the relation me and Eglantine have with Voldemort of any help to Miss. VanCullan? " she whispered.

"I had intended to tell you dear.... I just wasn't sure when was the best time..." that was wasn't the entire truth. She for the most part, had not wanted to burden him with it. She could for the most part imagine how overwhelming this all was for him. She didn't want him to be to presured by eveverything. She more then anyone knew how unlucky she was, she didn't want to end up hurting him but accident.

Then she snapped her head up, and faced Eglantine still hugging Ciaran.

"Eglantine? Did Lalasa threaten you about our relation with Voldemort before we got here?" she asked.

If it became puplic she was Lord Voldemorts Daughter, the ministry would have her head. Or at the very least take Hogwarts away form her. Some people reacted badly eoungh when she was his cousin. Being his blood daughter? She was not sure how people would react.

Ciaran nodded, it was odd that Molly had appeared to change her strategy. First it had been guilt... over the possibility of "his" child being without a father. Now it was blackmail, pure and simple. No doubt Lalasa had threatened Eglantine and would again threaten Kiara to release to the world their darker secret if they didn't...what? What were they suppose to do? Back off? Did Lalasa and Molly think he couldn't take care of himself? Or was this just to make sure Molly got the "compensation" she truly wanted? At the moment, wringing her neck was all Ciaran wanted to give her.

"Its okay, lass. I understand why ya'd be wanting ta keep it wrapped. Its not a pretty secret." he muttered, smiling softly. His hand gently stroked her soft hair in an attempt to assure her of this. It did not change anything... and he was glad she knew that. Or at least he hoped she did.

Having buried her face against Horatio's shoulder, Eglantine sighed. Kiara's question was something she had expected to come sooner or later. She nodded, not feeling strong enough to even look up at her daughter.
"She did." Horatio sighed, wrapping an arm around her, in comfort.
"Don't worry about it, love." he murmured, looking up from her pale hair to Kiara and Ciaran. "We'll stop her."

Eglantine shuddered at the very idea of Lalasa publicly proclaiming that she had been Voldemort's unknown lover and Kiara was their daughter. Her career ending would be the least of her worries.
"Maybe we could just turn her into an orange..." Eglantine muttered. Horatio chuckled.

A small smile came to her lips at Eglantines statement, "Which one? Lalasa or Miss VanCullan?.... or both, Miss, VanCullan could be a Banana" she muttered in a half joking half serious manner.

She said still hugging Ciaran she sighed, she hated it Lalasa could use her against Ciaran, No she wouldn't let it happen. She looked into his eyes seeing Love in them, she sighed again in relief glad he was not to disturibed by her parentage.... well her father anyway. She was happy Eglantine was her mother.

"How do you suppose we stop them Horatio?" she asked.

"Aside from turning them in to fruit... I would prefer not to explain to the judge why we turn more people into fruit again" she said with a half smirk.

"Either one would suffice." Eglantine murmured, taking the handkerchief Horatio had taken from her pocket and offered her. Edwin was no doubt still asleep, but she did not like the idea of him being alone. Horatio guessed her track of thought and nodded.
"Don't worry, I called a house elf. Bingy will call if anything goes wrong."

He had awakened to find himself on the couch with Edwin, with Eglantine no where in sight. A quick trip to the crib to lay Edwin down and summoning a house elf, he had found Eglantine all but pinned in her office. She had asked him to get Kiara and running had not been fast enough as soon as Lalasa had identified herself.

"We can first prove that Molly's daughter is not Ciaran's. After that, Lalasa should back off if this has anything to do with Ciaran. After all, she is a good lawyer; it would be stupid to stick with Molly if there is no case."

Kiara nodded, but she half expected, something to go wrong, she was suspious Lalasa was up to something.

"That should easy enough shouldn't it? to prove who is and isn't the father?" she asked. Suddenly feeling like she was on one of those talk shows, she shook her head. She didn't know how Ciaran took this all so calmly, Molly was being a real pain to him, she would be steaming in his place.... well she never would be in his place... but still it made her angry just thinking about it.

"I hope you are right Horatio, " she said.

However even if they did whip out Molly's case, she didn't trust Lalasa to not say anything anyway, and Molly she bet would still be a pain.

"Aye, a wee bit of blood and DNA should be doing the trick. I've had no idea who the real father is, but as long as we say I'm not the father... we're set." Ciaran conjured up a chair and seated himself, his hip bothering him after standing at an angle for too long a time.

"I know a lawyer friend who might be able to help us." Horatio murmured, pulling a chair up beside Eglantine and levitating the other chair to Ciaran's side for Kiara. "Harold Green. He and his daughters have a law firm in America. Um... Green and Co if I remember correctly. His daughters and I go back a ways as does Harold. He, Abraxas and I are good friends."

Eglantine sighed. "A member of the Altus Gnarus..." she murmured. Horation shrugged.
"Yep, call the centurians when in trouble... they'll either dig you out or fill you in."

Kiara blinked, a little confused as to who Horatio and Eglantine were talking about, as she sat beside Ciaran.

"The Centurians?" she asked clearly confused. "Oh.. Is that the reaearch group thing you and Professor Magnus are apart of?" she asked.

"Well any help they can bring I would be thankful" she said with a nod.

"Yeah, Harold Green is a member of the Altus Gnarus... our group of demented old minds. Deangelo Gian, Chase Espenson, Claude Beaumont, August Hanog, Takeshi Mizushima, Cledwyn Rosier, Uchenna Sy, Dorofei Egorov and Abraxas of course were/are all members." He pulled his pipe out. "They could all help out... but I'm not sure if I could find them all. Harold would be good to get though. Good man when he's sober and serious."

Eglantine folded her arms over her chest. "Which is a rarity... He is a great deal like our dear Lachesis. Only he views himself as a American Romeo..."

Kiara nodded, other then Cledwyn Rosier, and Abraxas Magnus she hadn't heard of any of them.

"I see, well it would be interesting to meet him then, and his daughters to you say?" she said with a smile.

Horatio nodded. "Mia, Ria and Tia. They are triplets, very close." A quick puff from his pipe followed as he sighed. "Rather odd, two of them married but then they divorced and went to live together. Some say that they are mentally bonded."

Kiara nodded "I see, doesn't surprise me, magical twins, triplets, are easily bonded" she said.

She sighed, "Thank you Horatio, again.. Now I am sure you are both tired, I am going to make sure Miss VanCallum and Lalasa have actually left" she said.

She didn't trust them to leave the school, simple as that.

"Indeed." Eglantine murmured, smiling as Horatio helped her to her wheelchair. "And be sure you also go to bed. It is very late and you appear tired as well, Kiara." Horatio nodded in agreement.
"Forever caring, my dear." he whispered to her, causing her to blush.

"No worries, ma'am." Ciaran beamed. "I'll see her safely to bed." As if entrusted with a mission of a knight's caliber, he stood up straight and true.

"At ease, oh valiant knight." Horatio chuckled, amused.