Miranda walked briskly down to the little doghouse where Roma lived. It was cold outside and for a second, Miranda wondered if she would even be in there. Maybe the little pup had gone to live with Masterson now during the winter.

And then another thought struck her. Pup? Didn't dogs like, grow up fast? Was she even as small as Miranda remembered her?
Well there was only one way to find out. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Miranda stepped closer, now slower, to the little house. "Roma? Are you in there?" She asked in a low voice. Maybe she was sleeping... Ssshhh.

Roma lifted her head at the sound of her name being called. It sounded like a female. Her nose twitched in the air as she sniffed out whether or not this visitor was worth getting up for. It was a female! Her favourite one!

Quickly, Roma got onto her four paws and walked out of her doghouse, heading towards the fence. Her tail wagged excitedly and she let out a happy bark, wanting to play.

Miranda craned her neck to look into the doghouse, and sure enough, this gigantic dog walked out. Whoa. Okay, it wasn't THAT big, but Roma had definitely grown a bit since the last time she saw her.

"Hi, Roma," Miranda waved and got closer, going down on her knees to put her hand through the fence. "You have grown! But you're as cute as always..." Oh yes she wa-As! Hehe. The Huffie drew her hand up to scratch her behind the ears. Hopefully, she still liked that. Heh.

Roma pushed her head into the girl's hand as she gave a really nice scratch behind her ear. Roma's tail slowed down and her eyes closed over; she really liked getting a scratch behind the ears. Then, Roma jumped up and placed her front paws on the fence and stood on her hind legs.

Miranda smiled and laughed at the way Roma looked when she cratched her behind the ears. "I bet that feels nice..." She said and scratched some more. But to her surprise, Roma shot up and stood on her strong legs. Guess Miranda was still getting used to being around dogs.

Well, seriously, this had to change, like...now. Hehe. "Oookay, Roma, I'm coming iiin..." She said and slowly edged towards the gate door and opened it, slinking inside before she had the chance to sneak out. Not that she would...maybe. Eh.

She stepped closer to the center and went down on her knees. Reaching out her hand again.

Once the gate was opening, Roma moved off the fence and sat down as the girl came inside. Watching closely, her tail started to wag quickly again, not moving until the person came closer. She started to pant gently and got up on all four paws again, walking closer to the girl. It was then that she took a lick at the outreached hand.

Once the gate was opening, Roma moved off the fence and sat down as the girl came inside. Watching closely, her tail started to wag quickly again, not moving until the person came closer. She started to pant gently and got up on all four paws again, walking closer to the girl. It was then that she took a lick at the outreached hand.

"Ahaha," Miranda giggled at the sudden greeting she got. There's nothing like getting a bit of dog saliva on your hand. Snort. She wiped it off on her robe and then beckoned for Roma to get closer by reaching out to her with both arms.

Ever since the...event, the Captain had been trying to find a place where she could feel allright, and even though Miranda somehow knew it all along, Roma's little house and garden seemed to be the right place.

It was something about a kind animal to just sit around and...not think with.

Roma quickly took another lick at the other outreached hand before walking closer to the girl. She panted gently and took a seat, wagging her tail quickly.

Miranda wriggled on the ground and giggled at the way she kept licking her hand. Hmz, maybe she was hungry. But she had food in her little bowl thingy, and Masterson had probably already fed her.

As Roma got closer, Miranda tentatively leaned closer and was soon hugging the creature. Huh, this was new. But a hug was a hug...and for whatever reason, Miranda felt her eyes get blurry and she didn't even notice the tears until they trickled down her cheek.

"Oh, sorry Roma," she sniffed, straightening up again. "Didn't mean to get your furr all sploshed." She stroked the beautiful dog.

Hmz, maybe Masterson could let her take Roma out for a walk.
Would be a nice way to get her mind off things.

Sensing a sudden sadness in the girl, Roma's tail slowed down. She remained still and didn't move at all, allowing the girl to give her a hug. Roma even let out a small whimper, trying to be able to lick the girl's cheek. And then, when the girl had straightened up, Roma moved in closer to cuddle.

"You know," came the voice of the groundskeeper as he neared the fence. "I've never seen her get along with someone as well as you. I mean, just the other day...she was staring daggers at Mr. Kururugi." He chuckled gently as he walked into the pen. "Are you alright, Miss BelCanto?"

Miranda closed her eyes for a moment before hearing the small sounds Roma was doing. Oh... Had she hurt her in some way? But, she seemed fine - she wasn't moving away. The Huffie giggled softly at the the furry dog's motions with her head. Aw, she was so lovable. Miranda started to scratch her behind the ear when suddenly there was a voice that she knew belonged to Masterson.

Quickly, before turning to face the man, Miranda dried her eyes roughly with her sleeve, swallowing, his words made her look at Roma and was reminded of how scared she was of the beasties before.

Allright? Hm. Goodness, how many times had the Groundskeeper seen her crying now? She rolled her eyes at herself. "I'm fine, sir." That was a total lie ofcourse, because why would she be alone, crying, with Roma as the only being keeping her company? She sighed, "No... I'm not, I guess..." She frowned a little, still stroking Roma. "I still can't remember what happened."

With the horns and the blood and... Ugh. The nightmare.

He raised his eyebrows as he walked into the middle of the pen, just as she stated that she was 'fine'. He then smiled gently as she corrected her statement to something that seemed to sound a little more truthful. "Can't remember what happened? Hmm," He took a seat down on the ground across from her.

"I take it that this has nothing to do with that boy?" He grinned a little and the let it fade. "Why do you feel a need to remember something?"

She could hear Masterson come closer, but Miranda didn't look away from Roma until he spoke again and sat down. Glancing at the man, her eyes widened a little at the boy reference. Oliver? Frown. Well... She was sure he wasn't the root of the problem, but he was certainly going through the same thing. Although he was a strong boy - not like Miranda, seeking out solitude to get rid of her panick.

Yeah, why did she want to remember? Hadn't Miranda been saying she didn't want to? She swallowed. "I...woke up," Ugh... She looked down at her clothes, as if they were still smudged. "I h-had dirt and b-...blood on me." Her tears were slowly rolling down her cheek again, and she wiped them away, glancing at Masterson again to see how sickened by this information he would be. "I don't know how that happened."

Constantine smiled a little as Roma seemed to be nuzzling her soft furry head against Miranda. Her tail wasn't wagging, she was being very solemn. It then slipped away again as she started to try and explain. Blood? "That is concerning," he nodded. Dirt was one thing, it was pretty much everywhere on the Grounds, but blood?

Roma took another lick at Miranda's face, trying to help clean up the falling tears. "Do you remember anything before the point that you can't remember anymore?"

Holding onto Roma a bit more, Miranda started stroking her head as the furry animal was now resembling a big teddybear the way she nuzzled closer.

Concerning. Yeah, that was an understatement. Truth was, even though Miranda didn't quite want to know what happened...because who knew what had done this to them, she was freaking out. But she was a Captain - she had to hold it together. "I think it was from my nose...or I hope...It-it was broken." Did a nose bleed that much when crushed? Hopefully yes, then that meant it wasn't actually someone else's.

Miranda sniffed and smiled watery as Roma started to get rid of those treacherous tears. Oh, get a hold of yourself. Swallowing, she frowned in concentration at Masterson's next question, thinking...trying to remember. "I went to bed." She looked at the man, but then looked down and began to chew on her thumb nail. "Or... I think I did."

Hm, not that reassuring.

"Hmm," Constantine frowned as she answered. It was a very definitive sounding answer, but at least she had an idea. Perhaps they need a change of subject for a bit. All this talk and her crying probably wasn't making it any better at all. "By the way, excellent win, yesterday," he smiled. Even if he was the Head of House until Shackleton returned (if she ever would), he was a proud Head of House.

Hmm? What did that 'Hmm' mean? Miranda looked up at Masterson, seeing him looking a bit pensieve. Maybe he could help her figure this out. She wasn't getting any answers from anywhere or anyone else.

She took a deep breath and made sure she didn't have any more tears rolling down and sniffed once. The sudden change of subject, to a more favorable one, made her suddenly perk up a little. "Thankyou, Mr. Masterson." She smiled at him, nodding shyly. That coming from the other Head of House was really appreciated. "Did you ever play when you went to school?" And what house had he been sorted into? He certainly had the disposition of a true Hufflepuff.

He smiled and shook his head. "No...It wasn't of particular interest to me. I like to watch a game every now and again, but I wasn't really into playing the sport." His smile became a grin with a shrug. "I was more the type to hide out in the common rooms and library with my nose between a couple pages."

Sniff. So Masterson didn't play. "Yeah...watching is great too..." She said lamely, making sure Roma was getting scratched behind her other ear. It was appreciated that he did attend the school matches, even though they were not like any professional game. Oh really, so he was- or still is one of those smart people. "Are you a Ravenclaw, sir?" Her eyebrow rose and she wiggled her nose before drawing her robe sleeve under it.

Miranda had stopped crying. Masterson clearly knew how to make people take their minds off uncomfortable thought and subjects.

Constantine nodded. "Yes, I am. And a proud one at that. My wife, though, she's a Hufflepuff," he smiled, as if it offered some sort of a consolation. "I've always been rather fond of Hufflepuffs...they left me alone when I went to school," he chuckled.

Ah, see, now she was feeling much better. She rubbed her eyes with one hand while still not letting go of Roma. Poor dog.
So he was a Ravenclaw. "That's cool," Miranda nodded and then realised he was actually the only Ravenclaw she's had a proper conversation with. Snort. Really? That's odd. Anyways... "Well, we're lucky to have you, sir." She said with a nod. They left him alone? Hehe. "I bet it's quite the opposite now, though..." She joked, remembering how he always seemed to have Hufflepuffs waiting outside his Hut - her included - for watever rabid meltdown. Like when he asked her for those boxing lessons. Double snort.

Constantine grinned. "It's true...I seem to have become Mr. Popular now," he chuckled, reaching out to give Roma a little scratch behind her ear. "Of course, I'm not that same shy boy I was...eh..years ago." Yes, that sounded better than giving an actual number.

"So, when are we going to start your boxing lessons?"

Miranda smiled and raised her eyebrows at the man. He seemed chuffed at this popularity. Hehe.
Years ago... She squinted at him. How old was he again? "Did you have Kazimeriz as a Professor back then too?" Her head tilted to the side, thoughtfully. That old man certainly seemed to have been around for a VERY long time.

Miranda's head snapped up. Boxiiiiing! Oh, yes please. "Uhm, anytime, sir. I have some time over right now, since the Quidditch Championship game is not for a couple of more weeks." Oh boy oh boy oh boy! "Should I get my own gloves, sir?" Her eyes grew wide at this. She didn't really know any place that sold Boxing gloves... And it would seem pretty odd to ask her parents for a pair...or send an Owl over to a muggle shop. Hehehe.

Constantine grinned. "I might have...I really do not remember. Or...I probably do remember, it was just really traumatizing, so I pushed it to the back of my mind." He started to rub Roma's snout, making her eyes become droppy and let out yawn. "I have an pair hanging around in my shed."