In the Velvet Darkness... [open]

[Professor Serafina Butail]

"...There's a light....over at the Frankenstein place...."

Ummm yes so the person usually named Kate was getting a little carried away with the singing (and really should watch the Rocky Horror Picture show again to get that song out of her head). Serafina however was not singing but had headed to the owlery to check on her faithful old Eagle owl and make sure that he had settled back in okay.

Not as if he wouldn't I mean he'd spent enough years living there before, but it had been a while since he'd been back and Sera adored Demetrius. He was more to her than simply an owl, as they say people can be funny about their pets, and she would feel rather lost without him. It was already very dark as she climbed the twisting stone steps up to the owlery, must be nearing midnight at least but then Sera was more of a night owl than some of the residents of this old tower.

She just hadn't felt much like sleeping, it was the weekend after all and she didn't need to be up at any particular hour so the night was calling to her. However, after a few previous nights of fun and socialising, this one felt a little melancholy and lonely (not that she'd utter such a thing out loud and admit her own vulnerability) but it was true. Hence the trip to the owlery.

With most people probably sleeping at such a hour of the night Sera figured she could at least go and see someone (or something technically) familiar. She entered the large circular room, the soft crunching under her heavy boots echoing off of the walls, and peered along the mostly empty rows in search of Demetrius.

"There you are." She smiled, gesturing him to come down and land on her arm. "I was beginning to think that this place was going to be as dead as the rest of the castle...trust us to still be lurking around at this hour of the night." She chimed, smoothing the feathers of the owls chest with a finger.

It was then that she heard a strange noise from out on the stairs, "Or maybe its not quite as dead as I thought..."

[Chiaki Shimizu]

"Hi Sera!" Chiaki said brightly, in contrast to the late night it was, and sprung onto Serafina. "Fancy meeting you here!" But Chiaki had been stalking Serafina lately, because she was bored. She shuddered to think what Serafina might do if she found out. But maybe nothing, since they were quite friendly towards one another now.

[Professor Serafina Butail]

Serafina's serious stare into the dark arched doorway brightened into a smile as she saw a familiar figure wander in and a familiar voice chirp a greeting at her.

Chiaki was out of bed very late, after curfew if truth be told and Serafina was a Professor...shouldn't she do something about that? Buuut she was inclined to think that Chiaki was a seventh year now (not that that excused anything) and if she was there with Sera then she would technically be under Professor supervision...Well to cut a long and twisted thought process short in the end she figured it would be okay. After all she'd only threaten to report her just to tease Chiaki a little, but not at that moment.

"You're out late Chiaki, not that I'm protesting about the company." She grinned at her friend, continuing to smooth the feathers on her owls chest as it perched on her arm, "Can't sleep?"

[Chiaki Shimizu]

Serafina stroking the owl looked oddly out of place. When had Serafina ever been gentle? Was she about to kill off the owl to get its blood, and she was doing this as a last favor to the owl? Chiaki shuddered at that thought. You never knew what a vampire would do when it was thirsty. Oh wow should Chiaki even be here then?

"Well it wasn't that I couldn't sleep. I could. But you see, I'm on a mission here." Chiaki said importantly. Chiaki had completely forgotten about curfew in Hogwarts. She had been away so long that she was just used to wandering around everywhere. But she knew Sera would never report her. But then again, Sera was vampire now..

[Professor Serafina Butail]

Serafina arched one eyebrow at Chiaki's words, that was not what she had been expecting to hear can't sleep tended to be the typical reason for lurking around at midnight.

"A mission? Sounds interesting, or kind of suspicious. What sort of mission?" Sera asked suddenly curious. She winced slightly as Demetrius dug his talons into her arm before he took off into the night apparently wanting to go hunting. He hooted softly to her before flying out of the window and Sera had a sudden wash of desire to follow him, of course she couldn't being a vampire didn't mean she could fly, not even her animagus form could fly.

With a sigh she turned back from watching the shrinking form of her owl to look at Chiaki. "Sorry, um yes, what sort of mission brings you up here at this time of night then?"

[Chiaki Shimizu]

Chiaki giggled at Serafina's arched eyebrow. That was one of Serafina's signature reaction and wow, it had been a long time since she last saw it happening! Memories.. memories.. Of course, Chiaki had to see it coming, Serafina was always curious of what she was doing. Not that Chiaki was always up to everything good though.

She grimaced at Sera's question and sighed. How was she going to tell her that she was stalking her? The question came out funny in her mind, and she couldn't help but give another tiny giggle. Oh man Sera is going to be moreeee curious than ever now. She thought Sera would get distracted with her owl, but well Chiaki was always the one who had a bad memory.

"Hmm I'm not supposed to say anything. It's a top secret mission. Classified." Perhaps that would put the hook of Sera? But she couldn't be so sure. Slytherins had weird ways to dig up secrets.

[Professor Serafina Butail]

Serafina audibly laughed at Chiaki's reply, she was obviously trying to throw her off and stop her from asking questions but was definately going the wrong way about it.

"You see Chiaki that just makes me feel even more curious." She said grinning slightly manically, it was the time of night that did it she just couldn't help herself sometimes. "Soo classified hmm? And who else is in on the BIG mission or is it just you?"

[Chiaki Shimizu]

Serafina's laugh sounded.. odd. And a little strange. She usually didn't laugh that way. It was usually more of a snicker kind of laugh. Was it because she was now a vampire? Chiaki just itched to point out all the differences. And her grin. Ugh it looked so out of place on that stony face.

Chiaki nodded gravely. Like it was a very solemn matter. "Yeah I'm alone." She tried to give as short an answer as possible.

[Professor Serafina Butail]

Serafina managed to stiffle her laugh this time at the solemnity of Chiaki's reply, "Sounds like you're carrying the weight of the world around. See now that just makes me want to know even more my friend, I just hate to see you so grave..." Serafina smirked, sarcasm creeping into her tone of voice.

"I could take a little of that weight off of you if you'd just tell me what it is." Sera coaxed, still smirking. She had a strange feeling that Chiaki's 'mission' had something to do with her, why else would she be visiting the owlery at that time of night if not knowing that Sera was going to be there. Or was that just Sera being conceited?

[Chiaki Shimizu]

Serafina's smirk made her look spooky. And the night was just creepy. And the words which came out of Sera's mouth, they didn't sound right. Nothing of her seemed right today at this particular night. Maybe it was because Chiaki had never been with Sera out this late.

Really, Serafina was just not going to give up, was she? Chiaki would lead her around a story then, seeing that they were in the owlery, Chiaki could just use it as a setting. Perfect. "Well I was just about to finish my mission actually. I was going to owl someone, but I only realized then that I had apparently left my stuff in the dorm. And I saw you here. Umm so yeah."