Who to trust?

"Oh? Then at least until my drink is finished. She's been staring at us, good friend. I dare say she isn't having a crush on either of us, so yes, it is spying." He laughed.

"What do you work as?"

"I was actually just hired as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher for Hogwarts," he said taking another sip of his drink and then staring at Gene for a few moments.

"What do you work as?" he asked.

((OOC: Lainey has not been staring. >.-))


Lainey spooned a bite of stew into her mouth. She kept her gaze focused on Sienna or her food, mostly, only allowing herself a brief glimpse of the two at the wizard's table whenever someone walked in or out, giving her a logical excuse for glancing at the door. The girl didn't wish for Sienna to pay them any more attention than she had after Lainey approached them.

Lainey couldn't have said why this was, really. The girl certainly didn't trust the man - he was a wizard, after all. But... She told herself that it was because she wanted to figure out what he was up to, first, not out of some illogical reluctance to bring danger to him. He could have hurt her, last time, or found out about her ability. The latter of which would have been really bad - she'd already been down that road, after all...



"I want my brother," Lainey gasped aloud, back in the present. She quickly rose from her seat, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, I -" she spoke to Sienna, accent thick, barely able to maintain some semblance of calm. "I... The ale's going straight to head. I need some air." The redhead abandoned her meal, and picked her way across the pub, running the last few feet and out the door onto the street. She leaned back against the wall beside it, trying desperately to clamp down on her rising panic.

"Can't leave yet, Lainey," she told herself, voice choked and tears filling her eyes. She was trembling all over, breathing coming far too quickly, chest constricting painfully. "Can't leave yet. Gotta make sure they leave..." Her vision started to tunnel and a loud buzzing filling her ears as she was taken by a panic attack right there on the London street...

"I teach history in Hogwarts... Oh there she goes!" Gene pointed at the lady and his eyes opened in alarm as he watched her collapse, and he dashed out of his seat and knelt down beside the lady.

"Dear god. She's not breathing well. Anapneo!" He pointed his wand at her to clear her airway, and he gestured for her to slow her breathing, and as it became more and more regular, he sighed in relief and went back to the pub and sat with Kieran again.

"I can put you in contact with my friends..."

Lainey could feel it - magic being used on her... to help her breathe.

The world slowly came back into focus and the girl was just able to glimpse the wizard going back into the pub. She levered herself up off the ground. Thank God, he hadn't touched her - she did not want his magic, even if it was temporary - but... why had he helped her? If it was really all some sort of ploy...

Of course it was a ploy! But to what purpose? Lainey didn't know, and trying to figure it out just made her feel hopelessly confused.

"What does he want with me?" she gritted through her teeth to herself. Lainey, of course, didn't know the answer, so she just leaned back against the wall, and took in slow, deep breaths.

"Good," Kieran said, "The sooner the better and since I work at Hogwarts now it will be more easy to keep in contact," he said finishing his drink.