Althea had never been in the staffroom before, but then again the last time she was properly at Hogwarts, she'd been a student herself. But now she was quite content to make herself at home, and hopefully soon get to the bottom of this Daily Prophet thing.

For now though, she made herself a cup of tea, no milk, and sat herself in a comfortable chair with a copy of Achievements in Charming.

Althea looked up and essayed a smile. Well this one was friendly wasn't she?

"Althea Schirmer. Charms." Thea carefully marked her page and closed the periodical, placing it carefully on the table.

"Nice to meet you." She added, with perfectly correct manners, though there was definitely an element of herself kept in reserve. Althea sipped her tea in silence, apparently quite comfortable just being still.

Was it just Thea or was Seren giving her looks? Althea busied herself looking around the staff room and mentally comparing it to both her expectations and her imaginings. It was nice enough, if a bit shabby.

She sipped her tea quietly and turned her eyes on Seren again, giving the other woman a smile. "Yes, quite well. I have my rooms set up to my standards, and I suppose it makes it easier to get used to the castle having attended as a student, even if it was a while ago now, to be sure."

"Class of 2060." Althea answered with a brief smile. Time flew by, but she'd filled it as best she could.

As if curious about what was going on, her tattoo shifted up her body, to her neck, hidden only partially by her hair. The cockatrice curled there, looking for all the world like that had been where the ink had been needled to start with.

"You?" An assumption that Seren was a student here too, based on the question in the first place.

"So was I." Althea answered, surprised somewhat, but relaxing a bit too. Ravenclaw. She could accept that. Understand that. She added a thoughtful smile. "I was a hatstall though. The thing couldn't decide where to put me." It had been torn between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Six minutes she'd sat on the stool.

"Did you have much interest in Charms? I led the Charms club from 2057 until I graduated." Conversation. They were making it. "How long have you been teaching?"

"I wonder about that hat. If the charms on it are likely to last much longer." Althea said thoughtfully. It was strong magic, but magic by nature wasn't infinite.

"I was a reserve." Thea admitted with a smile. She didn't recall Seren but then Thea was always one to keep to herself. And with Seren, what, five years younger than her? There was no real reason that she'd have been on Althea's radar.

"I did." She nodded, carefully taking note that Seren had disregarded one of her questions, possibly because she'd gotten herself excited about Quidditch or something. "I'm a Metal Charmer." She tapped the magazine in front of her and added, "Published and certified, though it has been a while since I solely worked as such." Since she also had had tenure at the University until she'd chosen to leave. People usually decided that made her mad when she told them that part.

Why the twenty questions? Althea paused before answering. "I always had a knack for Charms, and for Alchemy. It is a natural combination of the two disciplines." And why not do what you were good at, right?

"This?" Thea eyed the periodical in front of her, an issue from perhaps six months earlier. One of the featured studies was her own. Althea eyed Josephina speculatively, wondering if she knew that.

"About that article..." She leaned forward and smiled politely. "I would still rather like to see it."

It took a time for Althea to recognise the man, who didn't acknowledge any recognition in return. She narrowed her eyes as she answered with an introduction. "Althea Schirmer."

She'd just pretend like she didn't know him either then. Sure she'd changed since school, but not that much, surely? "And who might you be?"

"Usually." She agreed with a quick smile. "Perhaps, if you're truly interested, I could show you a few interesting studies. I have some other journals in my rooms." And now the woman could brush her off and show she'd only been making small talk, though Althea meant the offer truly.

"Thank you." Althea took the paper and unfolded it scanning for the article.

... which was lucky because apparently Seren had no interest in pursuing conversation or sharing anything about herself. Well that was fine. Althea found the article and began to read it.

"Sharp, maybe. Or perhaps I just have a better memory." She eyed him over the newspaper, and her cockatrice tattoo, peeking over her collar did too, then it disappeared beneath the fabric, only to reappear on her wrist, as if it were trying to see the newspaper instead.

She should lighten up on him. She'd changed rather drastically from her Hogwarts days. The giant glasses had gone for one thing.

Althea did smile and WAS about to say something conversational, but then the article caught her attention and she glared at the newspaper.

"A Blacksmith?" Ridiculous. She snapped the paper shut crossly and slid it across the table to Josephina, crossing her arms across her chest and causing her tattoo to retreat in apparent alarm under her sleeve once more.

Hogwarts was DAMNED lucky to have her and the Daily Prophet CLEARLY hadn't done any research.

Thea didn't much care about the slander towards whoever the former healer was, or the Law Enforcement branch of the ministry, or even towards Tate who had already turned Althea frosty towards him, but she was proud of her own achievements and immediately irritated to be reduced to 'blacksmith' when really there was so much more to what she did and she truly WAS the best in her damned field.

She sipped her drink and sat there trying to calm herself down, but building into a frosty sort of tension all the same, as if the temperature of the room had suddenly dropped several degrees.

It was lucky Eddie chose that moment to show up.

"Oh!" She stood up and rushed over.

And then?

"Is the telescope alright?" He was fine. He was breathing, wasn't he? Thea offered her hand, but her attention was fully on the telescope. She did metal better than she did people after all, even if she was rather fond of Edvard.