Emmylou didn't know professor Tanner that well and the sixth year wasn't that great at Arithmancy. She was horrible at the subject so maybe she could kill two birds with one stone while she was here. The blonde really didn't like that saying at all but it made the point come across and her grandfather would always say it when she would help him feed the horses, she still didn't understand why he said that when they were feeding the horses but maybe she would understand someday.

Emmylou made her way to professor Tanner's office. The short lioness waited a few seconds before knocking on the door just to make sure that she was going to ask these two questions correctly. The sixth year knocked on the door twice and waited to see if the professor was here.

The sound of humming preceded the sight of Tiara as she rounded the corner towards her office. She was pleasantly surprised to see someone waiting for her, an older student by the looks of it. When she got closer, she could make out who it was. "Miss Duchannes, hello! I presume you're waiting for me. Please, do come in." Tanner unlocked the door and held it open for the lion.

Emmylou turned around when she heard a woman's voice, she smiled brightly. "Hello." Emmylou nodded to answer the second question. "Yes, I am." She said looking at her and walked into her office as the Professor held the door open. "Thank you." The sixth year said as she walked in and looked around. It was always so awesome how each professor decorated their office.

Tiara followed the girl into the office. "Please have a seat if you'd like, my dear," she said, indicating one of the two seats. The professor followed her own invitation and seated herself in the chair behind the desk. "You're looking well, Miss Duchannes. Would you care for some tea?" It was getting colder outside and the warmth sounded inviting. The woman pulled out an old, chipped tea service and began to prepare.

After performing the Aguamenti charm and warming the water, she settled into her seat and looked directly at Emmylou. "Now what can I do for you?"

Emmylou smiled and took a seat. "Oh, thank you." The sixth year beamed and nodded. "I would love some tea. What kind do you have?" Emmylou was very picky with teas that she liked and didn't like or maybe more along the lines of certain teas made her fall asleep when they weren't supposed to. "I actually have two questions and the first one I guess is more of an opinion because I've been asking other professors and so far they've been very helpful but saying some different things." Emmy paused before she asked the question.

"I want to be a teacher or even a professor like you are but...what if that doesn't work out for me? Most of my friends have back up plans and I don't. I've just always known that I've wanted to be a teacher."

Tiara didn't exactly pride herself on a large selection of teas. She kept it simple, and that was plenty fine for her. "Not extensive, but I have.." She rummaged around a bit to confirm before rattling off, "..English Breakfast, Earl Grey, your basic green, and a rooibos from South Africa." She had found those sachets in the desk, no doubt left by a previous occupant. She seemed to remember hearing of a connection there somehow.

Two questions in one visit. How efficient! "Fire away then, my dear!" she said enthusiastically. The woman listened quietly, pouring herself some water in the process. "My dear, I never intended to be a professor at all!" she laughed. "The first thing I ever wanted to do was be a professional gymnast; an unfortunate injury ended that dream, which is how I ended up at Hogwarts. Then I found Quidditch and went into officiating, which I eventually got out of as well. I am now on my third different career path, and who knows? I may go through five more before I decide to stop working!" she finished, chuckling.

Deciding it was safe now, she took a sip of her tea to allow Emmylou some time to process this story. "My point is twofold: First, yes. It is a wise idea to have a backup plan. Sometimes life throws all sorts of crazy at you, and before you know it you'll end up doing something you never would have dreamed about!" Like teaching arithmancy at Hogwarts, for example.. "I suggest you continue to explore other topics in your education and form a broad base of knowledge to become a well-rounded person. That leaves other options open to you if need be." Again, like teaching arithmancy at Hogwarts.

"Second, know this. If you are passionate about something and have felt that way for as long as you suggest, then you won't be satisfied until you either try and succeed or try and fail. My advice is to focus on the pursuit of your passion." She took another sip of tea and then resumed looking Emmylou straight in the eye. "A driven individual, one filled with that passion.. in my experience, they hardly ever fail."

Emmylou smiled and nodded once again. "I'll have some Earl Grey tea, please. I've never tried it before." Emmylou wasn't much of a tea drinking her. She loved tea but she just didn't feel the need to drink it all the time was all but her grandmother Duchannes couldn't live without tea and had a whole collection of tea that she was always drinking.

The sixth years dark blue eyes widened and a big smile grew on her face. All the jobs that she had done were so different and seemed like a lot of fun. "Was officiating the Quidditch matches fun? It seems like it would be fun most days." Unless a team lost and they blamed you for it when it was their own fault. Emmy didn't know if she would be able to do a job like that. Professor Turner was making everything seem like it was alright and Emmylou wasn't freaking out in her head a much which made her really happy.

the blonde shrugged. "It's just last year around Christmas my some of my asked me if I had any idea of what I wanted to do after Hogwarts and they said it was okay if I didn't have any ideas because I still had time to think about it..." Emmylou paused for a few seconds. Her family wasn't one that was going to push her into doing anything that she didn't want to do. "...It's just my mom...she doesn't think I'll do good at teaching..." It made her feel bad when her mother said that to her but Emmy knew that her opinion didn't matter but she knew the Professor would probably be shocked her hear that. "I mean...I don't care what my mom thinks...she didn't raise me...my aunt and my dad have and some of my uncles too." She nodded. She had a huge family on her dad's side that was always there for her. "I really want to be a teacher but I just don't know where to start...or what I should teach."

After preparing her own cup, Tiara set to work on her visitor's. "Really, never? Well, there is a first time for everything, I suppose." Leaf tea was not all that practical in an office setting, in Tiara's opinion; she pulled a single-serve bag out of the packet. "Here you are, dear," she said as she pushed the saucer and cup across the desk.

Tiara could tell that Emmylou had not known much of her professor's history until now. She supposed that if she stayed here long enough, there would be no students left who remembered her a the Quidditch official if the flying ban remained in place. An odd thought, that one. "Officiating was.. challenging," she mused. "They weren't joking when they said the biggest danger was neck strain," she chuckled. Just to prove it, she turned her neck to the side and several loud cracks could be heard.

Tanner took several sips of tea as Emmylou continued. "They're correct; you do not need to know yet." Once more she took a sip. "And I do admire your independence, not needing others' approval." The girl would likely be shocked to hear her say that. "However, those who spend the most time with you often know what would suit you, so I would not recommend wholly discounting your mother's thoughts. That being said, perhaps there is a way to test the waters before committing yourself? Maybe some tutoring, or ask a professor if you can teach part of one of their classes." That could accomplish two things: proving the idea to her mother and proving the idea to herself.

"I love tea but I'm not a tea person. I normally just try what is around that's normally English Breakfast Tea." Emmylou preferred hot chocolate but she was still trying to be a little kid but she was a little kid at heart. She was right about trying new things and there was nothing wrong with trying new things at all. Emmylou was open to it but depends on what the new things were. That sounded like it would hurt pretty bad. Emmy heard the cracks in her neck when she turned her head. "Have any healers told you what you could do about that?" The blonde asked. "My uncle Axel is a healer so maybe he could help?"

The sixth year blinked before smiling. "Really? You think so?" She had never heard anyone saying that to her before. "I haven't really asked anyone what I wanted to do or even asked some of my friends what they could see me doing." She thinks that her friends might agree with her though. Cinna had told her once that she could see her teaching little kids. Emmylou let what she said sink in for a few seconds. "Do you think that any of the professors would let me do that?" It was alright if they didn't.

The girl was right, of course: English Breakfast Tea was quite a popular choice. "Well drink up, then," she said, indicating the cup now in front of the Gryffindor. And as for her neck? "I believe my medical issues are beginning to fall under the category of 'I'm not as young as I used to be,' unfortunately." She winked at Emmylou. "Unless he has invented an anti-aging potion, I think I just have to grin and bear it." Fortunately it was really not all that painful, at least not on a regular basis.

In response to the girl's question, Tiara returned the smile and nodded. "I really think so." Tiara sipped her tea and noted, sadly, that it was almost gone. "So your first step is to get opinions of those who know you well. Then, yes, I think it entirely possible a professor would be willing to do that. If I were you, I would approach someone you have a good relationship with, assuming they teach one of your topics of interest." And no, she wouldn't be offended if Arithmancy did not make the cut.

Emmylou took a sip and nodded. "Mmmm." It was good and nice and hot but also not too hot. It was just the right temperature. The blonde shook her head. "Age is just a number." Emmy said, she didn't even look that old. "Maybe they aren't that far off from an anti-aging potion." Things were being thought of and invented everyday.

The sixth year smiled and nodded as she listened to the professor. Emmylou would have loved to choose Arithmancy but she was horrible at the subject. Maybe Divinations or History of Magic was more of a fit for her since they were her favorite classes in the whole school. She loved the other lessons but she even knew that she was better at those two classes than any other. "I can ask my best friend what she would think of it." So she just had to get opinions from people that were closest to her.

Tiara laughed aloud at Emmylou's statement. So matter-of-fact, so sincere. "Well I do appreciate the sentiment, dear, but I would hazard a guess to say that you will feel differently in fifty years," she said, still chuckling. "But yes, it is possible that someday that will be an option. But I doubt I would take it." That statement would likely mystify a teenager with their whole life stretched ahead of them. She'd let the Gryffindor ponder it herself.

A pity, her tea was down to the dregs. But that must mean the conversation was quality. Tiara nodded her encouragement. "Yes, ask her. Might I inquire as to your best subjects in school and your favorite subjects?" The two were not always the same. "I seem to remember hearing Ca-- that is, I seem to remember Professor Morgan mentioning your work in her class. Perhaps ask her if you could give part of a lesson? Also, I would suggest speaking with your Head of House, Professor Flamsteed. He would be a likely liaison with potential employers, so getting him on board would be wise."

The Gryffindor looked at the tiny bit of tea left in her cup. She took a tiny sip of it. "I think it's not only not about the age but how you feel up here." Emmylou said while tapping her head lightly. She had noticed with some people that even if they were older it didn't mean that they felt old. Yes, maybe their body had aches and pains but the best of people that are like that felt in their mind and heart that they are younger than they look and feel.

Emmylou had a longish list of things to do this week. She would have to talk it over with her friends first but mostly Cinna. The sixth year would also have to go and see Professor Cassie...Morgan about a possible thing. Maybe even Professor Glendower as a back up. Just to be safe. "I will defiantly ask her!" Emmylou nodded with a smile. Head of House or not Emmylou never thought of asking Professor Flamsteed at all. That totally slipped her mind. "It slipped my mind to ask Professor Flamesteed."

Really, Tiara did not enjoy discussions about age all that much. Aging was not something she looked forward to; her view was more of accepting the inevitable. But the Gryffindor was right, it was more about how one felt. "Your comments are appreciated. I feel younger already," she told the girl, a warm smile lighting her features.

The professor idly scratched her arm. "Good. And yes, do ask him as well," she encouraged. "Is there anything else I can do for you, my dear?"