(Forest) Waiting...

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh, as Octavious, was standing on the outermost edge of the forest, calmly looking into the dark depths as he waited for the one person who he had contacted right after his acceptance into the teaching halls of Hogwarts. He wore a simple smile on his face as a gentle breeze washed over the lawns, whipping up a small amount of twigs, dust and leaves.

The temperature was mild, the light clothing he wore was enough, though only when the wind washed over his face. His face, his new face was what defined him now, still a man hiding, but he had become a new man altogether, still himself but someone else. This someone else was dead, but the Ministry and the wizarding world knew not that, only the younger brother of the dead man.

It was almost midnight, the moon rising high into the nights sky as he looked up and saw the twinkling of the stars. It was truly a remarkable night. It was also almost time for his cousin, Markus to come by, but he doubted that Markus' nature would lead him here anytime soon. He waited, before hearing someone approach. He smiled and closed his eyes, waiting for the person to speak.

[Gabriella De Conti]

Gabriella walked towards the forest slowly; her breath quiet. The last thing she needed now was the be caught here by the wrong people.

She grinned as she saw the dark outline of the forest creep into her vision...it wouldn't be long now. Soon she would be able to walk at a normal pace and in the safety of the forest. As soon as she was there she needn't fear much; most creatures would leave her be and she knew where the ones who wouldn't were and she had absolutely no intention of going anywhere near them tonight.

She stepped out into the open and starred wide-eyed at the man in front of her. The last thing she needed to see right now was a Hogwarts teacher. She sinked back into the shadows in a hurried manner hopelessly wishing that he had missed her movement.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh turned and saw the shadows swell around the place. He narrowed his eyes and knew someone was there, but who it was he was unsure of. He crossed his arms and stared into the place where he had heard the persons footsteps, judging the lightfootedness far too quiet to be a student, no matter how lightly they tread. It could only be a Ministry official or one of the rogue wizards out there trying to vie for the prize the Ministry wanted.

'Even as quiet as you were, you were heard. These ears are not like others. I have lived in the shadows far too long not to recognise absolute silence.' Leigh said, feeling quite strange to still be speaking as Octavious, though it was something he would soon have to get used to.

[Gabriella De Conti]

Gabriella glanced through the trees at the professor. He didn't look like the sort that would ignore the sound he had so clearly heard; his arrogance was proof of that. Gabriella sighed; if she could take the best the ministry had she was sure she could handle a even a Hogwarts professor.

She stepped out of the trees; her trademark arrogant smirk playing on her lips. "Ah well, you caught me!" she said with a light laugh. "I guess nothing gets past you lot hm?"

She rolled her eyes inwardly: when all else fails...act like you know what you're doing. Not to mention he had commented her first before asking her to reveal herself. The least she could do was be polite.

"Although, pray tell what is a Hogwarts Proffesor doing out so late at night? Nothing too depressing I hope." She said with a small smile. He definitely had a purpose, everything from his facial expression to his posture proved that. She jsut hope his purpose had nothing to do with her.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

'A rogue?' Leigh said, smiling slightly to himself as he recognised the same shabby look that Gobien had. 'And what is it to you that I am here?' Leigh looked at her inquisitively, his eyes searching for any sign of her intentions.

'If you must know I am meeting my brother here, is that so wrong? He is a student at the school. Now, why are you stalking the grounds of the school, rogue?' He said, speaking in a way that wasn't threatening. He had no quarrel with her, but he was curious as to why she was here.

[Gabriella De Conti]

She raised an eyebrow as he addressed her as "rogue." "Just because I am a Rogue Wizard does not mean I have no notion of intelligence or manners; I am not a common dog that can be addressed as such." She said, the bitterness of her tone shining through. "Just because I am a Rogue does not give you any right to treat me with indecency and spite." She said standing up taller. She really was far too arrogant.

"And am I not allowed to be curious?" she said with a smirk. "Most people don't come near this forest at night-forgive me-you're an odd sighting.

"You're meeting your brother at this hour?" she asked raising an eyebrow. He definitely wasn't a Hogwarts Professor then; she gripped her wand tighter and smirked. If it was a ministry trap set for her she would be ready.

"Why am I here?" she said glancing back at the castle...careful to keep one eye on the strange man. "Hogwarts was my home for the better a third of my life thus far. I wanted to come say hi."

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

'I address people as I see them. If you were Ministry, I would have called you Minister, if you were a student, I would have called you student. Is that wrong?' Leigh said, plainly.

'Odd sighting?' Leigh said, having to laugh slightly. 'I'm not the one stalking about the shadows like a craven wolf, fearful of the dominent male seeing it.'

Leigh watched the woman before him, letting his eyes wash over her and seeing what he knew was a tensing action. He reached into his coat and pulled out his wand and dropped it onto the ground and raised his hands calmly, smiling.

'I have no ill intentions, if that is your thought.' He said, before listening in on her last words. He looked at her and smiled, bowing his head in appreciation. 'Then you are on my side, protecting the school.'

[Gabriella De Conti]

"Perhaps not. But I am far too arrogant and proud to not say that I am insulted to be addressed as such." She said with a smirk.

"Ah you see, that's where you wrong," she said with a small grin. "I am not some craven wolf. I am the dominate wolf skulking in the shadows staying away from my ennemies and the like. It's the smart ones that know it's far easier to avoid a battle then take all the energy one needs to win."

She watched as he dropped his wand to the ground. "Fool." She said as she picked up his wand and handed it to him. "You never know who else is watching.

"If you are against the ministry we are on the same side. Protecting the school-though important-is not on my main agenda. My main agenda tonight is finding a place in the forest to sleep without getting mauled by any sort of creature."

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh took his wand back and put it into his coat, watching the rogue before him. He crossed his arms and gave off an impatiant sigh.

'A place to sleep, is that all?' He said, watching for any reaction. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small bag, the sound of coins jingling inside of it heard. He pulled out two galleons and handed them to the girl. 'Money for the inn at Hogsmeade. Sleep in a proper bed for once.'

He put the bag back into his coat and smiled, bowing his head slightly as he turned away ever so slightly. He gave the girl one last look.

'Please do be careful. There have been enough murders here lately to upset the ghosts, and they usually don't get upset.' Leigh said, as he started to walk away.

[Gabriella De Conti]

"I don't need your charity," she said with a sneer; refusing the galleons placed before her. "My family is wealthy enough. If I wanted the money I could have it." She finished bitterly. It was true. The DeConti's were one of the wealthiest Italian pureblood families. Her father, being an only child and sole heir, had inherited it all when his parents had died.

"You can be assured;I don't plan on being murdered tonight" she said, yelling at his retreating back. " Though I chose to be Rogue does not mean I was incapable of getting any other job. There was a time when I could've chosen any profession and excelled at it." She added as an afterthought. She despised his condescending tone.

She began to make her way into the forest; she would sleep near the Unicorns tonight after her search was through. It was generally safer wherever their herd was. The thought that Locksley and her sidekick would likely search for her there first fleeted across her mind for a moment but she ignorned the ill-will. She was never one to worry about problems before they arose.

[Markus Ramsay Everritt]

Markus walked along the edge of the forest, wondering on who had sent him that note. Whoever it was, it was clearly someone who knew about his brother. Whoever it was, Markus was going to make them pay.

He slowed when he heard two voices, one yelling and one speaking calmly. He recognised one of the voices, though froze when he didn't believe it was who he thought it was. He could barely see in the darkness but he could see two people outlined barely, one the exact same build as himself, the other a girl.

He saw the man turn away from the girl and walk off, soon hearing the girl shout after him before disappearing into the forest. He followed the girl with his eyes and realised that was her goal in the beginning, but it had to of been the man who had wanted to see him, though fear on seeing who it was gripped his heart.

He ran to where the two had spoken and turned towards the mans direction and pulled out his wand. He pointed it into the sky and shouted out the name of the red sparking spell, the sparks flying into the sky and exploding like fireworks on a night of celebrations.

He waited for a response from either of them, if he got one.

[Gabriella De Conti]

She stopped in her tracks and bitter mumblings came to an end as she heard and saw the red fireworks shoot straight up in the air. She immediately turned around and whipped out her wand.
"Stupefy!" she yelled in the direction of which she had just came.

She held her wand high and started back towards the edge of the forest. If whoever had set off the fireworks tonight was ministry they would not leave these grounds alive. If it was a student she do a simple obliviation spell and send them on their way. If it was anyone else...she might stay for a chat. All the same, she immediately began using occlumency as a preemptive measure against any attacker. She came to the vague realisation that she could possibly be walking into a trap set for her by Locksley.

However what she saw was a boy who she had not hit with her stupefying charm. She raised her wand, "Turn around lad. What brings you out at all hours?"

[Markus Ramsay Everritt]

Markus turned towards the forest as his eyes narrowed at the sight of the girl he had seen with the man. He held his wand ready, not raising it as he didn't want to fight, but he would if necessary.

'I was here to meet with someone!' Markus said, cowling. He sneered at the girl for speaking to him in such a way. If she had known who he was, he would have her packing. 'Who was that man that was with you?' He demanded, arrogance riddled within his voice.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh turned and saw the spell explode behind him, his eyes narrowing towards the source. In the light of left by the brief spell, he saw Markus and smiled. He ran back towards the forest, but slowed as he saw the same girl come back, her wand raised towards Markus. Leigh frowned at the sight and raised his hand, twitching his fingers ever so slightly.

Markus' wand came loose from his hand, soon flying towards his hand. He caught it and threw it into the ground and stepped forward to see the bewildered face of Markus, the fright on his face on seeing his brother possibly causing him too much grief.

'That man was me, Markus.' Leigh said with Octavious' voice, bowing his head ever so slightly. He looked up again and saw the girl. 'You may go on your way now, I doubt you'd like to witness what will happen between us.'

((ooc: It's ok about the godmodding, both Leigh/Octavious and Markus are my characters.))

[Gabriella De Conti]

She laughed at the boy. "I would say he seems to know you,"she said with a smirk. "And you're right Sir; I have no need-and I'm sure you do not wish it so-to listen in on your conversation." She said; smirking still. Admitedly; she was curious as to why the boy did not recognize his own brother but that was of no difference to her.

"I'll take my leave," she said with a slight inclination of the head. She turned around and jogged off into the distance quite unsure as to why she had just been so inexorably polite to the older man.