"You mean have I started looking for fourth years steady enough to mentor first years?" She said tilting her head. "I thought you put Ven-Xana in charge of that. Has she failed you?" Cassandra fought her lips from curling into a smile.

"I haven't put Xana in charge of anything, Cassandra." He looked, and felt, genuinely confused. "And I think you misunderstood the purpose of the meetings. The idea wasn't to set positions or any of that. It was to give ideas to the Slytherin house as a whole." He sighed. Cassandra had so much potential, so much that he thought he could get her to accomplish. But it seemed that she was slipping away... she would be nothing more than a pawn. How... disappointing.

"Oh no, I believe I understood the purpose of the meetings. I also believe those helped us win the house cup." Cassandra looked over to the side and saw the plant that she had given him at the edge of his desk. She smiled sweetly.

"I'm sorry, maybe I did misunderstand something. I thought you delegated tasks, I was in charge of telling Professor Forrester..." She sighed. "I apologize." Now who failed...

He smiled and let a delicate trace of his fingertip graze along the plant. "I would certainly like to think so, though I'm sure it could have easily been Forrester's... pep rally." He tilted his head at her other comment, however. "In charge of telling Forrester? Telling him what, exactly? Is he really suspicious that I have my own delegates or something?"

Cassandra was confused... did she dream him telling her to inform Forrester of the Slytherin plans? "Professor Forrester has no suspicions... At the smaller Slytherin meeting... where you... met... Xana... You discussed that when you went to Hogwarts there were fourth years mentoring first years... The students thought it was a great idea, and you said someone should tell Professor Forrester." Was this ringing any bells with him? "I volunteered to." She closed her eyes. He did, didn't he, she was right... wasn't she? "I never was able too, and Diabolica and Xana announced it at the pep rally. He heard it then, so I figured, the task was accomplished."

He laughed. "Ah, I thought you meant Forrester asking about it. I know you two have a working relationship going on, or at least did, in support of Slytherin. Yes, I remember now. Do forgive me, my memory hasn't been what it usually is. If I don't have a notebook on me I swear I forget everything." He leaned on the desk with smile. "Yes, that's right. Because you were working closely with Forrester anyhow, you were going to tell him. Though, it was not my intention to delegate tasks. I was more agreeing with those who were volunteering and trying to offer advice." Well, here came the more important bit. How was she going to react? "Honestly, if I were to delegate anyone to anything dealing with the Slytherin house, I think Forrester would have my head."

"As any Slytherin would..." Cassandra knew that if the tables were turned and Erikson was head of house, and it was Forrester who tried to delegate his Slytherins, he would have the astronomy professor's head. "but Professor... I don't know if that ever stopped another Slytherin from doing it. Do you know what I mean?"

He chuckled. "Well, I suppose it didn't stop Slade or I when we were young, either." He gave her a knowing smile, something hiding just in the back of his eyes. "Though it's a bit different from the other side of the staff table. It becomes a matter of politics, you understand?"

"I'm sorry professor, I am not aware who Slade is. I'm assuming he was a cousin or fellow student? No matter," It was none of her business, she shouldn't be asking. "I do understand..." she said... "but if the student volunteered it wouldn't be you delegating... would it?"

He nodded with a smirk. She was picking up after all. "Precisely. And of course, whatever the students do from there..." He shrugged. "Anyhow, sorry about that. Slade is a dear friend of mine," he said smiling fondly. "We had attended Hogwarts together. Do you remember in the meeting I spoke of the boy that I mentored? That was him. It's another good part of the mentoring program. It can form some pretty deep bonds, which allows for networking later on after graduation."

Cassandra nodded remembering the boy he spoke of.

She wanted to ask him... she needed to ask him... but she was afraid she knew his answer, and she knew he wouldn't give it to her. Instead he'd tell her a stock professor response. "Professor?" she began... now regretting starting the question... Oh well, it's now or never. "May I ask you what you may find a very silly question, but one that to me is rather important."

He raised a brow. Why did she seem nervous about this? "You can ask me anything, piccola mia," he said softly. "You know that."

Piccola mia... that was painful to hear now but now her question was a little easier to ask... "Who is your favorite student?" She looked down, hoping he against hope she was wrong...

He blinked. "Favorite student? My dear, I didn't think you would be so concerned about such a thing." He gave her a soft smile. "Cassandra, dear Cassandra, I will admit that there are those in this school that I have learned to hold dear. Jasmine was officially adopted by us, Xana is rather unofficially adopted by us and Slade. And I am proud of all my children, which includes you, Cassandra."

"You know that as a professor, I am not allowed to pick favorites, even if the students are my own children, literally and figuratively. But it was disappointing not to see you at the staff table with your usual greetings, not to see a smile on your face here in my office after so long..." He leaned down with a grin, whispering conspiratorially. "And I will admit, when Slade wanted to hear about Xana's hybrid rather than yours, I was quite hurt. Even if it wasn't something of my own creation. Because I am just as proud as the Bocca di Salazar as I am of my own creations."

Yup... stock professor response... I can't have any favorites... "Well..." How could she tell him that she was jealous or that red headed gorgon just waltzing in the last few weeks of the term and stealing his attentions away from her. Now she was like a daughter to him... great... but it was water under the bridge now... it no longer mattered.

She smiled as he mentioned that he considered Bocca di Salazar as if it was his own.

He leaned against the desk, watching her a moment. "'Well'?"

She was still reveling in the fact that he considered her hybrid superior than Xana's in a way... no... even better than that. He considered it one of his own works... That was better than having bested the redheaded gorgon's poor excuse for a plant. After all hers was on his desk... close to him... where was Xana's probably still in the greenhouse.

"Well," she repeated trying to avoid his celestial eyes, "I guess it isn't all that important... I... I'm just... I've worked so hard... to be someone that you would be proud of..." Her heart stopped in her chest as her eyes widened... Did you just say that? She thought to herself, why on earth would you think he would care that you want him to be proud of you, you twit!

"Uhmm... What I mean is..." She closed her eyes thinking hard of what to say, "I worked hard to be a good student, a top student... and, well... it seems like I'll never be best..." In your eyes... she thought... First Jasmine, then Kennedy, now Xana... then her mind wandered to her mother and father. Or in anyone's eyes... "Anyway, it isn't important..." she said looking at the plant on his desk with a smile... Mine is better... she agreed in her mind.

"Cassandra..." He was rather disliking the table between the two of them and stood, heading around to lean on it rather than sit behind it. He laid a hand on her head gently as he'd done many times before. Though, he reminded himself, this is not a child before me any longer. "Piccola mia, I am proud of you. More than you can imagine. How could you think any less? I am sure it cannot be easy watching as I grant favor to other students, but you are dear to me nonetheless. You are the only one I expected to greet me at the very start of term, and thus are the only one that I was disappointed not to see. I have watched you go from a struggling child to the top of the class. I have watched you work hard to lead the most noble House of Slytherin to victory! How could I not be proud if you?"

Cassandra's eyes burned as he spoke to her, tears threatening to be released. She looked up to him, partly to show him her smile, partly to retain the drops that wanted to escape her chestnut eyes, now glistening for being so moist. He had made her so happy in that one moment. Happier than she had been in years. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Thank-" but she halted feeling a knot in pit of her stomach, she smiled as she waited for it to subside but, as she did she closed her eyes, a tear ran down each cheek. She quickly wiped them away with her fingers and fought to regain composure, letting a nervous chuckle escape her lips. "Thank you." She finally said standing up. He was more than a foot taller than she.

"I..." she knew more tears were going to come. She knew how he got in front of a crying student. "I should probably go... You probably have a slew of students to attend to who are waiting for your guidance outside the door. I've taken much too much of your time... unless," she hoped he would stop her... she hoped he would... she didn't know... "you require... something of me?"

He considered her a moment then nodded. "In a sense. Though, and I know you are not fond of her, you will have to work with Xana." He held up a hand, asking her patience. "This is because it is very honestly not my idea, it is hers. A project that she has started. I asked you here because I deeply wanted you to get in on it. However, she has asked my endorsement and this is something that could be potentially upsetting to Forrester. As you had been keeping your distance, I was unsure if it was something I should ask of you. But it pained me not to see you involved in what Xana is planning, so I decided it was worth talking with you and finding out why you were keeping your distance. Not many get second chances with me, Cassandra, so you should feel priviliged. Aside from that, there are a few other things, but I will speak with you about them in due time."

Camira walked through the greenhouse and knocked on the door, hoping that the professor was there and not busy. She waited patiently to see if he would open the door.

Cassandra's knot in her stomach returned. Her again... "I have worked with Xana before, upon Professor Forrester's request, actually. As I have told her, this doesn't have to mean we are friends. Just students working toward a common goal."

"May I ask though, what Xana will ask of me, could it lead to my expulsion?" She could not have that on her record, both her parents would disown her. "You understand that I will need to be careful, I have worked hard to become the Slytherin House prefect. I will not jeoperdize it for Xana. This doesn't mean I won't do it or don't want to do it... I do... I just need to be careful."

She stroke the plant she gave her professor and it bit two of her fingers, leaving a little cut on each. Cassandra didn't wince... she had done this with her own plant, which was now at her mother's house being tended to by the house elves. After all she couldn't keep it in her dorm, not with Waddles there. She let the droplets of blood drip on the plant's open leaves, which closed them as it was being fed.

She looked at the professor and smiled. "Please do not misunderstand me. I DO feel priviledged, but do you remember when you told me to ask you before making assumptions?" She asked but didn't wait for him to answer. "I'm glad you took your own advice and requested to see me."

She then took way her two fingers which had stopped bleeding. "Did you want to tell me what my part in this will be now," she looked towards the door. Someone had just knocked. "Or did you want to tell me another time, along with the other things you said you would approach me with later?"

"It should not get you expelled, and should Xana ask any such thing of you do let me know. It is something more of a networking group, to tell the truth. I think it will open up opportunities which one cannot afford to miss, and thus why I would like you to be in on things. Do speak to Xana further, and tell her that I sent you." He looked over at the plant, watching as it seemed to be content in Cassandra's blood. "Her plans should help to strengthen Slytherin house. And with your input and endorsement, I think you could help push it further. Especially since you are likely more acquainted with the students. She is, after all, fairly new to the school. And will be leaving after this term."

Sahrina looked at the older girl. "Sorry." she mumbled. she got up and walked out of the room.

Camira watched as a girl randomly came out of the room. "Is Professor Erikson in there then", she asked curiously. Why wasn't he opening the door? Maybe he didn't want to talk to her. She sighed heavily.