"Hmmm..." A Slytherin, eh? Figures, she thought with a secret smile which she hid with her teacup. She made a show of drinking her tea as she fought the amusement which threatened to have her break out into a fit of giggles.

Alright. Breathe.

"If you do identify this student," she said with a slightly raised eyebrow, "What do you expect me or any of the other professors to do? Pull him aside and have a little chat? Put him in detention and make him kiss a barrel of toads?"

Rapunzel raised a curious eyebrow at Professor Blaylock's reaction. "Yes, I'm sure he was a Slytherin, like Ryan said," she drawled the word out and then added a nod in his direction before turning to the professor.

"I don't know what you should do," Rapunzel shrugged. "I just---well just---oh justice! I mean, maybe the barrel of toads idea isn't so bad after all!" Rapunzel sighed heavily and ran a hand through her long hair. "I don't really understand Hogwarts discipline anyways," she mumbled. "But people like him shouldn't be going around kissing strangers! Perhaps St. Mungo's would be a better place than detention...."

"Perhaps I'll have a chat with Professor - " She had been about to say Git, but managed to hold back at the last possible second, "Erm...Professor Forrester about keeping the Slytherin boys in check."

She stood up then, "Anyway, I have a student waiting outside...and if you would like my help regarding this incident, then I suggest you start hunting for that student!"

"Professor Blaylock?" Xana said shyly as she entered the room. "I hope I"m not intruding... I came to see you because of the owl you sent..."

"Oh, yes, Miss Venefica, come on in." Natasha called out as she poured yet another cup of tea. What was this? Her....fourteenth of the day? She couldn't be sure, "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, ma'am, please, that would be lovely." She smiled. "Thank you for taking the time to see me, and please... I'm just Xana." Xana looked at the professor... Divination was her worst subject by far, and she'd had absolutely no interaction-- other than the loss of points and their subsequent notes to each other-- with Professor Blaylock... Yet she felt an instant connection to her, liking her intuitively. She pondered this, puzzled, as she took a seat and accepted her tea.

"That's a rather unconventional name...Xana." She said, testing it out. It sounded nice, she thought as she poured the girl a cup of hot darjeeling, "So, you wanted to know about extra credit...but before we go on, perhaps you'd like to tell me what kind of extra credit work you're thinking of."

"Thank you..." she took a sip of the tea. "Darjeeling's my very favourite, how did you-- oh. right. Divination." She giggled softly at her mistake; of course a divination professor would easily be able to anticipate something so simple, right? The thought actually made her feel strangely exposed, as though Professor Blaylock had a backstage pass into her mind.

"Yes. Anyway. Extra credit. I'm really willing to do anything-- our house needs the points and frankly, I need the help. Divination has always been my very worst subject, and coming in so near the end of term... I'm hoping to repeat sixth year anyway, because mine has been so broken up, but in the meantime, I'd like to take on some extra studies... to catch up, and maybe fix my points loss while I'm at it, and maybe even make up for points I might've earned had I been here sooner. " She smiled and sipped her tea. "I've had a lot of... unusual experiences... in my studies, because I've travelled a lot and been to so many different schools. I thought maybe-- I don't know, essays about unusual approaches to Divination that I've experienced or seen... something like that. I don't know what you would even be open to -- all I know is I lack any significant talent in this subject, but I have interest in it... and a desire to learn, and work hard." She shrugged and quirked her head to one side, blushing slightly, knowing she had rambled on a bit too much.

Natasha smiled at the Divination comment. As if she could actually tell what kind of tea people preferred...it was just that it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and that's when she liked to have Darjeeling. But she didn't say all this, of course...let them think what they want.

"It's quite late in the term for any of that...but perhaps if you're willing to help me prepare for the next lesson?" She raised her teacup to her lips to hide the smile. Oh, this was going to be fun, "I just need to collect some...props."

"Oh, I'd be happy to, ma'am!" she grinned, then raised an eyebrow. "What sort of props? And how can I help?"

"Oh, brilliant!" She felt a little bit guilty for not telling the girl what was needed before she worked an agreement out of her, but she waved it off. "I'll owl you in a few days with the list, dearling, and you can help me look for all of those. I'll do some foraging of my own."

She smiled sweetly. At least she would be earning the points...

"Brilliant." she said with a smile. "I'll look forward to it-- and I really, really appreciate your kindness and... just your being willing to work with me. To be honest, while I really need some assistance with Divination in general -- I'm rubbish, and I know it -- I wouldn't be that worried about being so far behind, because I do believe-- at least I hope-- I'll be allowed to repeat sixth year and so I'll get another chance to learn the things I missed. But... my House... it sounds really stupid, but they really, really need to win the Cup this year, worse than Gryffindor. Not for glory or ego... but so they can learn to work together and make a positive contribution as wizards. So they -- we -- can believe that we're better then all the bad things they always say about Slytherin, if we try. So... anything I can do to help, I will. "

"I'll even do chores without magic." She grinned, and then brightened. "Or babysit! I met your little boy-- Damian, is it? -- with Professor Erikson at the Quidditch pitch. He's really adorable."

Natasha shuddered, "Why on earth would anyone want to do chores without magic? That's cruel and inhumane torture, and be sure to know that you'll never catch ME doing it!"

Then she paused, and blushed as she remembered something...that's right...she had made Tag wash all that laundry without magic during that first detention.

She waved it away, "Anyway, Damian is a little angel, I'll keep your offer in mind whenever I need a babysitter in the future, my dear."

Armand rapped on the ladder lightly. Down the ladder with Damian was easy. Up was a little more intimidating. "Natasha, I've got a sleepy boy who misses his mother."

Natasha nearly tipped her tea over when she got up to walk to the trapdoor. "Whoops..." she muttered, winking to Xana as she set the teacup down on a more stable surface (the table).

She looked down the trapdoor and smiled at Armand and Damian, "Hello, boys, come on up..." she went down a few steps to reach for the little boy.

Xana smiled watching Professor Blaylock go and collect her child. This family made her feel so warm, just watching the loving way they interacted... and yet she felt a little twinge of melancholy. Family. She wondered what that would be like.

She stood. "Professor, I don't want to intrude on you and your family... unless you needed to talk to me more, I'll get out of your way."

Natasha looked over at Xana from where she sat, holding a drowsy Damian close to her, and smiled, "You wouldn't be intruding, sweeting, but I understand if you'd rather not see your professors being mushy human beings."

"Actually... " her cheeks pinked slightly. "I really like that you're real human beings. A family. It's beautiful."

Xana grinned and sat back down, looking into her tea cup in mild embarrassment.

Armand passed Damian on up and made his way up the ladder himself. "Xana... I thought I heard your voice. I didn't know you had an interest in Divination as well." Once he was on firm standing he took his wife in his arms, kissing her softly. "I think the plants are getting used to him."

Xana grinned at the sight of Professor Erikson. "Well, you know me... I love to learn... Professor Blaylock is actually being very kind and helping me a bit; I'm rubbish at Divination."

"I once swore up and down that I was as well, actually. Though apparently I'm not so bad at it. Not that I plan on doing any sort of reading any time soon." He glanced at his wife, wondering if he should tell her he took a chance at casting runes again. He really did just need to burn the runes and bury the ashes.

Natasha smiled and cuddled Damian, trying to hide the blush that had invaded her pale skin. He really needed to stop doing that in front of the students.

Clearing her throat, she turned to Xana, "Rubbish, nobody's bad at Divination. So long as you have a good imagination, you'll be able to pass this subject." she grinned. It didn't bother her that most of the students made things up as they went along.

"Well, maybe that's my core problem... I'd like to think I have a pretty strong imagination... but I can't lie to you!" She looked scandalized.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Xana. It's all a matter of interpretation anyway. A good deal of it is what it means to you." He smirked to Natasha. "Like Fehu."

"Fehu, like the rune for wealth?" Xana asked, pondering. "I'm not sure I understand." Of course 'wealth' meant so many things to so many people... monetary wealth was just one concept. Maybe that's what he meant...