Working Lunch, <Tara>

[Byron Grant]

From Tara’s reaction to his suggestion he knows she knows more than she was letting on. He had enough experience reading people, even ones as skilful as she.

“No Charms Master is worth his title if he didn’t know about curses, hexes and other things too. I have a few other contacts that deal with darker aspects of magic than I am comfortable with who can answer questions as needs be.” He nods slowly. “Not everybody who got hurt in the war has physical scars,” he says softly.

“I am frustrated with the lack of time sometimes, but I’m getting used to it, I guess.” He was enjoying the teaching, but he needed to find out from Miles if he was happy at the castle. It had all happened so fast, he wasn’t sure if he really gave his lover a chance to think about it.

With that thought he reminds himself that they need to go and look for a place to stay during the holidays and weekend when they wanted to get away from the castle. It was the end of winter and the school will close in another month or two.

[Tara]

“Well,t here are craft purists,” she says, but she concedes that thought to him. Though Tara likes to win and hates to lose, there are instances where she can see where someone else is coming from. Rare, but possible.

She nods. “I have my contacts as well,” she says. Herself, firstly. Walden is a pretty hand at a lot of the darker stuff, though Teddy Nott – he hates being called Teddy, which is probably why she does it – is excellent. And of course, her crews and such.

“Perhaps not,” she says, head tilting slightly to observe him more closely for a moment – is he speaking from experience? “But healing the physical scars would be a start.” Tara is too jaded to believe that making her face scars go away will make everything better – her scars go below skin, below bone, right to the soul. The day she got them did something to her that will is probably impossible to undo; her soul is scarred and twisted and her mind slightly fissured. She knows this, though sheignores it also.

“Well, at least you enjy it,” she says. It would not be for her, she knows. She doesn’t like people a lot of times, especially if they’re not going to be able to help her out in some form or fashion.

[Byron Grant]

He makes a rude noise about craft purists. They were sometimes so closed-minded about their chose profession; they forgot that there were other branches of magic that also influenced their specialty.

Byron nods. “Hopefully healing the physical will help in healing the underlaying problems too. But it’s just a physical cure… other things need to be sorted out by the person themselves.” He knew very well how that was, having had a grudge and unhappiness fester for ten years. But then not everybody was blessed with someone like Miles coming into their lives and making everything better.

There was also the possibility that the person affected didn’t WANT to change, the bitterness and hatred having changed them into someone else and they would never get back to the person they were before their disfigurement. It all depended on the person.

Byron gives a small grin. “I love it, despite my original misgivings.” He did like people and the children were getting to be more than just small nuisances, they were distinct people and he loved interacting with them.

His colleagues were much more diverse and he was glad they had a friend in Neville. The things he’d heard about the Herbologist had shed him in a new light and Byron had a lot of respect for him. Where he, Byron, had run off to get away from his problems, Neville had faced them head on and helped defeat the Dark Lord in the end. He hadn’t met Neville’s other friends from his school days yet, but it was probably just a matter of time before that happened.

He was quite interested in meeting the Golden Trio, who made up part of the Silver Six. Oh, he had seen some of them flitting around the Ministry while he was working there, but there was never real reason for them to interact with him. But it was probably just a matter of time before they met.

[Tara]

She snorts softly and smiles when he reacts so openly to her comment. If she hadn’t known where he stood in that regard already, she would know now. She isn’t a purist, though if it doesn’t directly affect her in some way she tends to ignore it.

“If not, at least the constant reminder isn’t there to taunt them in the mirror.” Tara hates how she looks under her glamour, even as she’s willing to use it for her own gain when she wishes to. She thinks, at least so she can pretend and not know the truth of how deep it all goes.

She rubs her hands across her face, leaning back in her chair, and then through her hair, an action of someone really thinking and one that has been doing so for awhile now. The scars are both smooth and rough against her sensitive fingers of her left hand. Her jaw aches in the way that tells her she’ll probably be eating soup for dinner just because she won’t want to deal with the ache.

“The soul and psyche aren’t in my purview to worry about … just what I can do with the skills I have.” And she’s no soothsayer or soulsoother.

“That’s good for you,” she says. Personally, Hogwarts holds no appeal to her any longer – she was denied its education, its reputation, all its benefits … she sees no reason to hold it in any esteem.

[Byron Grant]

They were in agreement over something – one of several things they discussed so far.

“That is a start, isn’t it?” he asked. If you’re not constantly reminded of your disfigurements, it helps you to focus on other things. Something was niggling at the back of his mind that there was more to this whole thing than what she was letting on. Did she have scars from the war? She barely seems old enough for that.

He studies her as she leans back in her chair, running her hand through her hair. “Well, soul and psyche are part of us, if we don’t work on them, they can get as battered and twisted as our bodies.”

Byron pushes the empty plate towards the middle of the table, does a quick heating charm on his cup of coffee and sips the last bit. “So, other than brew potions and plot new things with me, what else do you do to keep you busy?” he asks.

[Tara]

She lifts a shoulder casually. Perhaps it is. All she knows is that she wishes her face were whole and unblemished, like it had been intended. While she enjoyed the shock value at times, the occasional headaches, the near constant jaw aches, and the drain on her magic to keep up her glamours, as well as the disgust that often twisted people’s features were something she could go without for the rest of her life.

Tara gives him a smile that would be flirtacious and inviting if he weren’t gay as she sees him watching her. There’s a hint of the minx that she can be in that grin, of how her emotions can sometimes be tapped in a more positive direction.

“Sometimes we have no control over what happens in our heads anyhow,” she says, shrugging again. As if she doesn’t care. She knows how her soul must look – at this point, she doesn’t much care. Or rather, she doesn’t give it any thought.

“Well, I do a lot of potions research for the company I’m with, but mostly I do a lot of ‘human resources’ work – coordinating different aspects of the work, keeping things organized, making certain they go smoothly … things like that.” She waves her hand idly. “Nothing huge, of course. It’s a mid-sized company, and I have many colleagues.”

Important but not too important, that’s how she wants her ‘job’ to come across. If looked into, the company she’s citing does exist and she is on the books under the Yancy name.

[Byron Grant]

Her nonchalance didn’t fool him for one moment. She was definitely the one who needed the healing, but to what extent remained to be seen. She was good at hiding things, but he was good at spotting things too. He doesn’t let on he’s kinda figured it out.

At her flirtatious smile he just grins at her. They were playing a game, but the rules weren’t quite clearly defined as yet. Hints of a naughty side is showing, playful and not malicious.

“True, but one can’t give up hope completely,” he says. Always the positive one if he can.

Byron nods. “Impressive, I must say. Not that I would know what its like to work for a magical company. I did a stint at a Muggle place about ten years ago and after that it was odd jobs all over the world. When I got to Romania a dragon tried to snack on me and I ended up here in London. I was at the Ministry for about six months and then I got the opportunity at the school.”

He gives her a sly grin. “So, I guess you’re going to be like me and try working on some of these things the weekend already? Although I think we’ve got dinner with friends tonight… it could be next week, I can’t quite remember.”

[Tara]

“Ah, an optimist,” she says, lips quirking in amusement. “There’s a pretty little rhyme that goes with optimists and pessimists, but I think it spins things your way.”

She lifts a shoulder gracefully. “Well, travel is nice,” she says tactfully. Tara is nothing if not tactful. Even though she’d just been nine, her mother had already instilled social grace and tact in her beautiful, precocious daughter. “But I like where I am. It suits me.” More than he would ever know.

She laughs and tosses her streaked hair back. “I probably won’t even wait that long,” she admits with an honest smile. “I’ll probably go straight to my lab when I get back and hole up in there for the weekend. If I really work hard, I might even get a testable brew by the time of the next moon. I’ll have to get a charmed automaton and some werewolf blood to test it on.”

It was the best and safest way to first test a potion meant for specific consumptions. Even she isn’t so foolish as to test something on a live subject before doing something first. It wasn’t foolproof, but it weeded out the worst of the mistakes.

[Byron Grant]

“I’ve found that pessimism is much too exhausting, although optimism is just as tiring.” He smiles as he talks – she’s got a nice wit and was easy to have fun with it seems.

Byron nods. “The travel is nice, but after a few years as a drifter around the world, you get sick of it. I’m quite happy to be settling down now.” If they could find that cottage before the end of the school year, they could spend a great summer decorating and entertaining friends.

He joins her laughter. “I will have to force myself not to retreat into the lab, Miles will never forgive me.” He looks interested in her explanation of how to test. “I have to admit, I haven’t really worked on making a potion that needs to be tested, so a charmed automaton sounds quite interesting. Do you know who they are made so I can tell Miles?” It was quite clear neither of them would have to worry about getting their hands on werewolf blood.

“I really would hate to think what testing would do on a live subject if there are potentially fatal outcomes.”

[Tara]

“Let’s be realists then,” Tara suggests with a genuine laugh of amusement. Byron has a quick enough wit that she has enjoyed his company, and she’s even enjoyed debating him on many points, though she can sometimes get frustrated when someone doesn’t see things her way.

“I’ve only been out of the country a couple of times in the last ten years,” she admits, “and those were strictly business trips, no time for fun or anything.” Perhaps, if she’d had a normal childhood, normal teenaged years, she would have taken a few years to travel and then settle down to practice her craft.

“Well, that’s after animal testing, but that won’t work for the werewolf stuff,” she says. After all, the ‘disease’ doesn’t seem to be able to cross species, at least not within most of Europe. She’s heard there are fox-weres in Japan, but she thinks those are just Animagi of some sort.

“Of course, you have to get the werewolf blood to put into the automaton, or it won’t work like you want it to. I’m not sure infecting regular blood would have the same effect.”

She taps her finger against her full lower lip. “Well, one fo my colleagues makes them for me. I suppose I could send one to you. Perhaps put you in touch with a were to provide enough blood – it takes, usually, at least half as much as a real person.” She’ll have to ask her Charmers if they’re willing to share their ‘recipe’ for the automatons.

[Byron Grant]

“Realists it is,” he grins. He wonders if a friendship would develop between them other than working colleagues. One thing he’s learned about London and the magical community… no-one is what they seem.

“You should make a trip just for yourself sometime, all work and no play – you know the saying.”

Byron nods. “Yeah, weres are quite unique, aren’t they?” It was more a rhetorical question than anything else. “There are legends of were-hyenas in Central Africa, but they sounds more like Animagi than true weres.”

“That would be great if you could – I’ll compensate whoever made it of course.” He smiles. “We’ve both established that we know weres, so getting blood shouldn’t be a problem. If I run into difficulties I’ll let you know.”

If he had an automaton, then Miles could make him more if he needed to, but one should do the trick rather nicely.

He orders another cup of coffee and leans back in the chir. “I do believe we made some progress. If you can let me know what curse you need some help on for the treating of scars, I can do some research in the library and send you the results.”

[Tara]

“Well, I am assuredly anything but dull,” she says, her grin just this side of wickedly naughty. “But perhaps after I’ve garnered some success in one of the experiments on my list, I’ll take a short vacation somewhere.”

She nods. She wishes she knew whatever curse had first been laid on the weres to make them what they are today. That kind of power … just, wow.

“I’ll get my people on it right away then. Expect one in the post sometime early next week.” And if her people were agreeable, she would send instructions for manufacture upon the promise that they wouldn’t use it for monetary gain. That was her purview.

She nods, agreeing. They have made some progress. It is surprisingly nice to have someone to talk potions with who actually truly knows what they’re doing for once. It’s been a long time. “I’ll let you know,” she says. “And if you need anything I can provide, let me know.” After all, she has a wide net of resources, particularly for the things not readily available at such a goody-two-shoes place as Hogwarts.

She sighs and drains the last of her coffee. “Well, I really should get back. Gotta lock myself in thelab, ya know,” she says, winking at him.

[Byron Grant]

Byron chuckles. “Oh, I can see that. If you want a few destinations to think of, send me an owl – I have a feeling your vacation will be not too far off. Our idea will work, the magical community has been stagnant for much too long.”

“Wow, that’s more than I expected. I’m sure I can put it to good use, not only for potions work, but other applications too.”

It seems they were both agreeing on their progress and the joy of chatting to someone that knows what they are talking about. “I look forward to your owl. You should see me in research mode. The house-elves have to bodily remove me from the library when it gets too late. I think they have standing orders from various people in the castle.”

Byron gives a wistful sigh. “I wish I could lock myself away now, but I will have drama on my hands if I forget something that should have been done or happened.” Not that he would give up his life he’s got now for anything, but he missed the times he was cloistered away for days on end.

“You have a good time down in you lab and I hope we can compare notes soon.”

[Tara]

“I’ll probably do that if the opportunity comes to pass,” she tells him. She does agree that the magical community has been stagnant – especially since the war. War usually left the doors wide open for progress and leaps forward, but the last one seems to have done just the opposite.

“There are some other applications, yes. It’s best for certain spells and such, and for any ingested potions. External applications are generally better with a few other options.” She prefers to weed out the worst of the trials before finding human subjects – why waste when she doesn’t have to?

She chuckles. “You’re about as bad as me,” she says. Sometimes Darren will come get her out, or one of the weres; someone usually makes sure she’s fed. Walden will make her leave if she’s in there nonstop for a week, and sometimes Teddy. More often Walden. He stood up better to her wrath.

“The downside to getting in a relationship,” she tells him. She wouldn’t know. She supposes she has a more personal relationship of sorts with Walden, and sometimes Teddy, but nothing she’s willing to give up stuff for. Walden is about the only one she’ll let boss her, though.

“You too. Owl me, yeah?” she says, rising and holding out her hand to him.

[Byron Grant]

“Great,” Byron says. He could tell she agreed that there needed to be advancement in new developments in magic.

“Well, I just think it’s bloody marvellous. It cuts out a lot of the angst in testing on human subjects until such time that one has a potion or spell that won’t kill on the spot without intention.” He of course wouldn’t test on human subject until he was very sure it wouldn’t damage them permanently.

Byron grins in answer. “My sensei used to leave me alone, but now things are different.” He nods. “One of the very few downsides and one I can live with.” Besides, Miles could lure him out of the lab with a look and a smile.

“I will, and you do the same.” He takes her hand lightly in his and gives it a gently shake. Two colleagues leaving a meeting. None of the townsfolk would have a reason to try and gossip.

After she’s gone he leaves the inn as well – there was much better coffee up at the castle and h knew he had a few hours before dinner to work on some of the rudimentary ideas they had come up with. Of course he was going to have to corner Neville and find out about the aconite family and what he thought could work as substitutes.