Deeper into the rabbit hole

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily stubbed her toe on a root that was poking out of the ground, causing her to curse rather loudly. She kept going further and deeper into the woods. She was searching for a plant that grew out here and which she couldn't yet repot safely in her greenhouse.

She heard noises from animals and...other things, she was sure. She kept her wand out and her ears open. Ever since the attack on her last year, she'd noticed several differences. Her hearing was sharper, her eyes keener and her sense of smell...well, she wished that one hadn't been heightened when working around the manure. Her nose wrinkled at the thought.

"Ahh,"she murmured, putting away her wand. There it was, the plant she'd been searching for. She untied the satchel from a loop in the belt around her waist and took out her silver knife. Tree branches crackled under her feet as she approached it.

 

[Canoc Taggart]

Canoc swore at his leg. It was damn useless. His staff wasn't much help either. He could never sneak up on a person. He gave it up for lost and went in the forest.

He came upon a lass doing something in the dirt.

"Oi! You there." His gruff voice barked at her. Ms. Barker had informed him of this being off limits to the bairns. What was this one up to?

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily jumped and whirled around, the dagger glinting in her hand. She was startled when she saw an older man glaring at her. She straightened up and putting her dagger away, she was careful to keep her wand out and to the ready.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Cecily didn't think he meant her any harm but she just wasn't taking any chances anymore. Her green eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on her wand.

 

[Canoc Taggart]

"Never point a wand at a man unless you plan to be usin' it." Canoc leaned on his staff and grimaced.

"Yuir not a student. I apologize miss." He doffed his hat at her. "Canoc Taggart, at your service."

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily relaxed slowly, unclenching her hand around her wand then putting it away. "Apology accepted,"she said, looking at the curious man. She hadn't met him yet but they hadn't had a teacher's meeting in a while and she hadn't been to the castle to really talk to anybody.

"I'm Cecily Rambolt, I teach Herbology. I haven't seen you around here before,"she thought about what positions had been open, her brow furrowing. "I'm sorry, but what do you do here?"

 

[Canoc Taggart]

Canoc resisted the urge to rub at his knee. The damp air was making it ache something fierce. "I took over Care of Magical Creatures post. I didn't mean to be a bother. I was having a poke about the place. Should get back. Have lessons to plan out." He nodded his head at her and left.