Have a Nice Trip... [Main Library]

It was by now a few weeks into the Hogwartian school year. For Gabriel Hall's place of instruction, it was quickly closing in on the time to start working diligently on a sort of mid-term project. All of the work leading up to it was graded, returned, and given the go-ahead to place into practice. Truthfully Gage had started making the potion long before then and was testing it on rats. It was high time to take the experiment to the next step.

That was why he was in the library. With a stack of parchment in hand and a fair bit of pleas and bribery directed at the librarian, Gage managed to scrape up an 'okay' to post flyers about the shelves. These flyers offered extra credit in potions and a chance for some beyond-Hogwarts-level teachings that may be tailored to a student's potential future career in Healing or as an Auror. Other potential careers with a required background in potions could also be seen to, if the student desired.

Once this task was done Gage took up the bookbag he had placed down at an empty table. He had no idea he was being watched by a trio of Serpentine students. Normally he would have stayed here and studied for a while, but he had half an hour to grab a quick lunch from the Great Hall before heading down to the dungeons for his first class of the day where he got to be at the front of the room for a change.

Just as he was passing a table full of students, Gage yelped when he suddenly lost his footing and fell - face and bad leg first - on the marble floor. The bookbag that had been draped over his shoulder slipped off and skidded a few feet away, a couple of in-progress potion vials slipping out one of the compartments.

Quietly (and fluently) the wizard swore, pulling himself up to a sitting position. As if his leg didn't hurt enough as it was on particularly bad days... now this. Curious, he glanced backward to see what he might have tripped on and hoped it wasn't his own two feet. Unfortunately there was nothing there and Gage almost chalked it up to that until he noticed something peculiar:

His cane was sticking straight up instead of having also fallen and slid away from his reach. At the foot of the cane the professor noticed the trademark of a sticking charm.

"Have a nice trip, Professor?" called Jericho MacDougal from across the room, opposite of the way Gage was facing, with a wide smirk on his face.

Before he could properly reply Gage was immediately distracted as a pair of Slytherins skittered out of the library. They kicked his bookbag and smashed the potion bottles on their way out. "Hey!" he shouted at the pair, but that only made Macnair and Beckett flee all the quicker.

Detention would await them the moment they walked into their next potions class, Gabriel decided. He didn't realize a shard of glass from one of the shattered bottles had nicked his arm.

The two places one can usually find a Ravenclaw was in their Common Room or the library. This fact seemed to be true for Columba Mars. Though, she much preferred the Quidditch Pitch than the Ravenclaw Common Room, Cole enjoyed a quiet afternoon in the library just like any Ravenclaw would. However, this afternoon proved to be anything but quiet. Upon researching on the Felix Felicis, Cole noticed the unmistakable snigger of one Hector Becket. As she raised her eyes up, she found Becket with Macnair and of course their bravo leader Jericho MacDougal the Slytherin git himself. 

The words 'up to no good' seemed appropriate to describe their general disposition. Cole sighed and closed her book. She really could do anything about them at the moment, they hadn't actually done anything wrong. Of course that didn't mean they wouldn't. She needed to trail them to make sure she caught them in the act. 

She watched them carefully, making sure to give them an amount of distance so they wouldn't suspect anything. However, as they set up their trap and waited for their prey, Cole realized, a little too late what they were going to do. She saw everything in slow-motion. Professor Hall tripping would have been at most a second but it felt like ten. She was too far away to do anything about it. Her legs seemed to be too slow, her voice caught in her throat. MacDougal and his merry men ran for it. Cole was torn between going after the culprits and helping her tutor up. In the end, she decided to help her teacher, she knew who they were anyway, and Cole would make sure she held up her Prefect duties.

"Professor Hall!" Cole exclaimed finally reaching him. "Are you all right?" She kneed before him.

Gage pulled himself into a sitting position, still very much unaware of the glass shard in his arm. He looked up at the exclamation and question to find one of his Ravenclaws at his side. "Nothing a pain relief potion and a jacuzzi couldn't solve," he replied, trying to smooth out the grunt of his response with humor. The uninjured arm rubbed the knee of his bad leg.

Feeling something wet on his other arm Gage lifted it to see what was going on. Almost immediately he regretted it. "Whoa..." he murmured at the sight of glass and blood. A glance told him that his bookbag was well out of his reach. "Erm... I have something for this in my bag. Would you...?" Gage asked.

- - -

Altair Aquila tranquilly made his way to the library. It was practically his second or third home as a student. He was presently on a mission to provide the library with a few copies of the textbook his class would be using. A trio of students passed him in an incredible rush. Without giving them a second thought the duelist shrugged and carried on.

Entering the library proper, an interesting sight met his aging eyes. A professor and a mess were scattered across the floor. Beside it all was none other than his granddaughter, Columba Mars. A smile twisted the wizard's lips, and a chill ran up his spine. How swiftly she had grown from a girl into a young woman! Columba was growing up without him or any of her kin to help guide her.

As much as it was a tragedy to have heard about the death of Jonathan Mars, a microscopic part of Aquila rejoiced. Now, according to his and Calliope's agreement, Altair may speak with the child. What grandfather would not feel at least some small measure of joy at that? Perhaps this errand would be much more productive than he had initially expected.

Altair made his way toward the librarian, quickly deposited his books, and returned to observe his granddaughter. Once whatever business with the other professor had concluded, Altair would make his move at long last. At long last, he would officially meet the granddaughter more or less kept from him for sixteen long years.

Cole disregarded the Professor's attempt at humour. She could her the pain in his voice. She was well accustomed to the form of deception - using humour to hide pain, as her father tended to put it into practice once in a while. It had been a serious fall and she would insist a trip to the hospital wing even if she had to escort him there herself. Her assessment of the fall was further supported by the show of blood. A shard of glass had found it's way onto the flesh of his arm. 

Fortunately, blood did not make Cole queasy. She easily rationalised what the blood was - merely a fluid that is pumped through the body, nothing more and nothing less. She was no judge at how badly the wound was, but she could tell it was no mere scratch. "Oh of course." At Professor Hall's request, she searched his bag for something that would help. 

As Cole made for his bag, Gage vanished the broken glass and spilled potion. He wasn't about to have someone else be hurt by the dagger-like shards. "It's in a jar... green. You'd almost swear it was colored sugar," the professor explained as Cole began to search. With a whispered "Ow!" Gage removed the offending bit of glass and cast a spell to stop the bleeding.

While Altair was typically a patient man, he decided waiting may be more a hindrance than a benefit. The wizard would wait to speak to Cole of what he wished. But that didn't mean he couldn't lend a hand, and begin to make contact. With this thought in mind he approached. "Allow me to be of assistance, Professor, while you and this young lady tend to that arm," he said, inspecting the sticking charm placed upon the foot of the cane. It was quality work. Unfortunately it seemed the purpose had been entirely for the wrong reason. In no time at all Altair had pried the sticking charm off of floor and cane, and propped it up beside the nearest table.

"Thanks," Gage murmured. He could've gotten it himself, and wasn't exactly enthused at having all of this fanfare. A student's concern was expected, and fine. But this guy? Gage didn't know him, and he looked old enough to be Gage's father... Automatically the former auror within Gage deduced that this was not the only reason for this similarly new professor to have approached the scene.

Cole was searching the discarded bag gingerly. There was broken glass everywhere and it would not do to give herself a cut just as she was helping to heal one. Just as Professor Hall gave the description, Cole found a green jar. Cole pulled it out of the bag carefully and with the light, she was able to make out what seemed to be like coloured sugar as it's contents. This had to be it. She moved towards Professor Hall, concerned as he let out a whisper of pain, carrying the jar with her. She placed one of her hands on the base and the other on the top with the motion to twist it open. However, before she did, she decided to ask the professor what to do with it. However, Cole was forced to pause as another individual joined their party.

Blue eyes met the stranger with surprise. She had never seen him before. There was a grandfatherly feel to him. Especially when he said, 'young lady'. It was a term used only by certain individuals, and by her experience usually by the older persuasion. She wasn't spoken to so she remained quiet, but it didn't mean she ignored him. There weren't many visiting adults in Hogwarts. In fact, there hardly was any. There was even less who visit Hogwarts who would go straight to the Library. This had to be a new teacher, Cole assessed in her mind. It only took her moments to draw that conclusion. She then turned back to the situation at hand: helping Professor Hall.

"Is this it Professor?" Cole said holding up the jar for Professor Hall to see. She was pretty sure it was, but it always paid to be certain. "I think we should take you to the Hospital Wing." She boldly advised.

Gage shifted his eyes from the new professor to Cole, and then to the jar. A nod followed. "Yes, that's the one. A very special powder, that. Mixed with water, it cleans wounds. But when added to beeswax or other binding compound it makes a healing balm to a specific strength," Gage explained. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jar of beeswax and a small clean-looking measuring scoop. "One part powder creamed into two parts wax ought to work nicely."

Brown eyebrows rose at her suggestion of visiting the hospital wing. "This isn't the first time I've fallen on my face, and it sure won't be the last," Gage replied. Despite the pain he was still in good spirits. As a former Ravenclaw he knew the girl's suggestion was logical... and probably best given the ache in his leg. As a man and as his father's son, however, the professor didn't want to give in. Gage set his eyes squarely on Cole's. "Give me the best reason it would be wise if I went to the hospital wing?" Instead of serious, Gage's voice turned moderately playful.


Altair seated himself in a nearby chair, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. His expression was serene and unbothered. "I do not intend to seem callous, but once you have been seen to, Mr. Hall, it is imperative that I have a word with Miss Mars."

Cole nodded to indicate that she understood. She put the green jar down to leave her had free to retrieve the beeswax and the measuring scoop. She pulled out a medium sized jar from her bag filled with leaves she had collected from the grounds. She emptied it's contents and cleaned it with her wand. It made for a make-shift container for stirring.

She then opened each ingredient and using the measuring scoop added the advised amount into the jar. She pulled out a small spatula from her bag and started to stir.

Cole met the professor's eyes squarely as he protested to a trip to the hospital wing. It was meant to be a joke but it was a challenge none-the-less. There was nothing Cole could actually do to force him into doing something he did not want to do. He was an authority figure and she was only a student. However, without missing a beat, Cole thought-up a retort.

"I would take points off of Ravenclaw if you don't." Cole threatened, blue eyes sparkling in response. She was half-joking, but half-not and she let him see that. She knew how that sounded. It was ridiculous really, laughable even, that she was attempting using house points to control a teacher. House points were trivial, insignificant to him - a professor - and yet, since Professor Hall was Head of the Ravenclaw house, it meant more than it should - at least, she hoped. It was her only real bargaining chip.

Cole finished mixing the concoction - which was now in an ointment-like state. She was about to apply it to Professor Hall's wound, indeed, she was scooping a bit of it with the spatula, but the other Professor (she assumed) spoke yet again making her pause.

Her eyes widened, surprised that he would want to speak to her. Curiosity followed at what it was about and why. A feeling of dread momentarily made it's way into Cole's system, as having 'a word' with someone was usually adult code for trouble. She relaxed as she reminded herself she hadn't done anything wrong - well excluding that bet with MacDougal, but she doubted it was about that.

Again since she wasn't spoken to, she remained silent. She considered the stranger. She finally decided he was the new Dueling Professor. A new class appearing in her schedule, and a new face appearing in the library. It was the only logical conclusion.

Cole held Professor Hall's arm steady as she delicately started to apply the cream concoction.

Both professors watched Columba mix the salve. Altair was reminded of a time when he had asked his own apprentices to do something similar in their trainings. Gage, by contrast, was more focused on how she did it. The potions professor made a note to carry a spare jar or other mixing vessel on hand so that next time a student need not use one of their own. Altair glanced at the leaves, intrigued. Whilst Columba and Gabriel were conversing the older wizard conjured a second jar, carefully spelled the leaves into it, and sealed the container for Cole.

Gage tried not his best not to appear too amused as Cole eyed him squarely. It wasn't all that effective a tactic, for a smile insistently bubbled beneath the surface. His eyebrows jerked toward his hairline at her quick and witty reply. "Well... we can't have that, now, can we?" Gage laughed. "I suppose I have put off paying the nurse a visit for a bit too long..." A grin and a sort of paternal or uncle-esque wink punctuated his agreement. Technically he didn't have to listen to her given his status as a professor, but given the way his leg ached since his fall it was probably the best course of action.

Altair neutrally watched Cole's eyes widen and could almost sense the initial dread she felt. He was absolutely certain she would be curious: all children were, and in his time at school Altair learned the Ravenclaw group were even more inquisitive. This made him smile. A flicker of concern tingled through him when Columba kept quiet. "Did you have an enjoyable summer, Miss Mars?" Altair asked lightly. Despite his knowledge of the truth, as an alleged stranger it seemed like it was a logical and innocent enough ice-breaker.

Gage gave a tiny hiss of protest at the initial application of the salve, but otherwise kept still. "Thank you," he murmured after a few seconds. In his opinion Cole didn't have to help him. She also didn't have to check on him. The mere fact that Mars went out of her way to help touched the wizard. "Was it you that was interested in Healing, or...?" While Gage patiently waited for an answer he absently took up his wand and conjured a muggle-style bandage for when Cole had finished.

Cole let out a small sigh of relief as Professor Hall finally agreed. But she wondered if she should escort him to go to the Hospital Wing. Two reasons why, one, he might need her help and two, because he might take a detour and not go all together. However, she seemed to be otherwise engaged as the new Professor did want to have a word with her.

She stiffed slightly at Altair's question. "Yes. Quite nice." She replied looking at Altair with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. It was an automated response. A defensive mechanism. A shield she had developed to keep everyone out. She didn't really have any trust issues, its was just that she didn't want everyone to know what had happened. It was something she wanted to keep to herself at all cost. The last thing she wanted was people telling her their condolences. She had enough of that back home. She wanted to just pretend it wasn't real - it wasn't the best of coping mechanisms but hey, at least it kept her eyes dry, relatively speaking.

"It's no trouble really." Cole finished off applying the ointment evenly to the wound as she answered Professor Hall's inquiry. "Er..." She thought back on her career advice in her fifth year. She hadn't a made up mind back then, being a Healer may have been a potential choice - but no, she was almost positive she didn't go down to that direction. She wanted a chance to travel, to see the Magical World for all that it was. The events of the summer pretty much cemented what she wanted to do. "No... I want to become an Auror, actually."

She put the remaining bits on the wound and put the spatula back at the now empty jar. "How does it feel?" She wondered. She was unfamiliar with the particular ingredients and was genuinely curious as to what they were and it's effects.

Altair masked a slight frown at the body language detected from Cole. So like her mother... He was sincerely beginning to wonder if, after all these years, perhaps the youth might not want or need a magical grandparent in her life. Being unable to speak with her and only able to observe from a distance ensured that the wizard knew very little about her, and she absolutely nothing about him. "Wonderful," he replied, though the smile he tacked onto his face also didn't quite reach his eyes.

Gage pensively pressed his lips together and nodded. "Another good field, if you've the endurance for it. You'll also need a strong background in potions, among other things. I might have some books that might be of help, even though they're probably a little outdated by now," he offered.

At Cole's question, Gage flexed his arm. Expressions on his face ranged from mildly inquisitive to slightly pained. "The beeswax is sticky, which is gonna be really fun to wash off after the salve's done its job," he answered cheekily. "Seriously, though? It stings, but that means the cut's being cleaned and healed. It's basically a concentrated potion in powdered form." With that he picked up the adhesive bandage, pulled off the paper, and pressed it on top of the applied salve.

"Now to get up off this bloody floor," Gage smirked, grabbing his cane from its place against the table.

Cole nodded in agreement. Her smiled turned into a more genuine one at the mention of old tomes. "Oh - that'll be wonderful! I'm sure they'll still be an interesting read, outdated or not." She absolutely loved reading old books. There was something positively special about them. Back home, she and her father would go into Muggle second hand bookstores and spend the day looking through the shelves for the oldest book that they can find. They'd made the game out of it and who ever found the oldest book would get a crepe from the cafe nearby. The prize really was bragging rights because her father would always buy her a crepe if she won or lost. She pushed the memories away before she felt the wave of melancholiness that was sure to wash over her if she were to follow the train of thought to fruition.

She noted the Professor's record and gave him space to stand on his own. Though she stood by to give him support if he so needed.

Gage smiled, and nodded. Columba's enthusiasm was spoken like a true Ravenclaw. "Stop my my office on Friday, and remind me if I haven't already collected them by then," Gage replied, positioning himself in an attempt to stand. It was awkward, and not exactly painless: one hand on the bench-like seat, the other gripping his cane for dear life, and his good leg bent and trembling beneath him against his weight. His bad leg was bent, too, but not in any way beneficial to help himself stand. The professor stayed in that position, preparing himself, and slowly managed to hoist himself up and into the bench chair. An exhausted sigh left Gage's lips. "I think... a trip up to the Hospital Wing is going to be mandatory. But I'll manage. Professor Aquila's waiting for you."


Altair watched silently as Gage lifted himself off the floor. The other wizard had strength in the face of weakness, Altair had to give him that. He continued to remain silent as the potions professor insisted Cole go on ahead. A tendency to let a fallen combatant find their will and strength on their own, and some selfish impulses, caused Altair to mentally agree with Hall's light dismissal. "I prefer that we take one of the private study halls, when you are ready, Miss Mars. You may find me there." Without another word the wizard nodded to Gage and took his leave, his footfalls mere whispers in contrast with his heavy-looking boots.

Cole awknowledged the offer with a nod and made a note to herself on making a detour to The Professor's office before her Prefect Duties started. Cole stood up properly as well - with immense ease compared to Professor Hall's struggle.

She nodded towards Altair. A private study room? What was this all about? Her curiousity on who he was and what he wanted with her swelled tenfold. She almost took the injuried Professor's dismissal as permission to follow Altair straight away but she could not move her feet. A dilemma stood before her. The Hospital Wing was still a significant distance away and she could not let Professor Hall go unsupervised - especially if MacDougal and his cronies were lurking around to have another go. However, she also did not want to keep Altair waiting - not to mention her extreme curiousity on the nature of why he wished a word with her. She shook her head. It was no dilemma at all. The fact was Professor Hall was injuried and Altair the mysterious stranger was not. The choice was obvious and didn't even warrant a mental debate. She just about strenghten her resolve when Jacen Alonso made an appearance.

"Don't worry Cole, I'll take Professor Hall to the Hospital Wing." The boy offered with a smile.

Jacen had arrived on the scene just in time to hear Altair's parting words and deduce the Prefect's uncomfortable struggle. Time for Jacen to save the day, he mused to himself.

Cole looked mildly surprised and seemed to need further coaxing. "Really," Jacen said premptively and to further illustrate his commitment to the task, Jacen stood between Professor Hall and Cole.

Cole seemed satisfied. If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have been. jacen was trustworthy. She nodded and with an apologetic glance to Professor Hall, she followed Altair's footsteps.

Gage rifled through his bookbag for something, mostly in an attempt to convince Cole that he was going to be there a little bit before venturing onward. It didn't work, apparently, for the young witch refused to move. Altair was long gone to the study room he'd mentioned. The potions professor was just about to open his mouth to assure her once more that he would be fine, when yet another Ravenclaw joined their midst. He glanced between the pair and their exchange. As Jacen stood between him and Cole, Gage couldn't keep his mouth shut any further and donned a cheeky grin. “Ravens of a feather, flock together. Just going to sit here for a bit before racing Mr. Alonso to the hospital wing.

“And thank you, Mars, for your help,” Gage added before the young woman had completely vanished from earshot. He would add House points later instead of distracting her with further chatter.


Altair stood stock still just outside the study room. He watched what little of the exchange between the Ravenclaws that he could, then observed Cole meandering his way. “Come,” he said, guiding her into the room and closing the door behind him. The old wizard turned back around to look at the teenager, and sighed.

“I can see you do not desire condolences, so I will not utter one. Your mother... would prefer I keep you in the dark about who I am, but I think my introduction is long overdue, Cole. My name is Altair Aquila, and to your peers I am nothing more than a professor. To you, however... I am also your grandfather, and we have much to discuss,” he explained. Knowing this was a great deal of information in a rather short amount of time, Altair waited to see what sort of reaction and subsequent questions he would receive before continuing onward.

Jacen offered up a smile. "Not a problem Professor. I'm in no rush - as long as we do eventually go. Cole'll have my head if we don't."


Cole let Altair shepherd her into the empty study room. This was pretty much as private as you were going to get in the Library. As he shut the door, the thoughts of Professor Hall's health seemed to take a back seat as this meeting seemed to fill Cole with dread. There was an unexplained bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. As she looked upon him, she felt a peculiar feeling that she couldn't quite place. Cole shrugged it off and looked at the strange man with polite curiosity.

As he made his speech, Cole's eyes widened. With every word, dozens of questions arose. For some reason, she did not doubt him. Despite the fact she had every right to.

"My grandfather?" This would have to be her mother's father. The one she had never really talked about. Cole was convince he barely existed. The thought always seemed to pained her mother which is why she never really pushed the topic. Though she was always curious who her grandparents were. They were the magical side of her family. A side her mother had carefully hid from her daughter like a terrible secret. Something Cole never really understood until the events of that summer anyway. She decided to keep a cool head until she found out more. "I wasn't aware... What would you like to discuss?"

Gage chuckled. "And here I thought my sister was giving a class at this time, not masquerading around as a student..." he joked. Slowly, the wizard stood and tested his weight on the cane. Everything seemed alright. "Ready when you are, and I've got a cool trick up my sleeve for the stairs."


Altair nodded when Cole echoed his words. It seemed obvious that since his last name was not 'Mars' that he was Cole's mother's father. The wizard had no idea what little, if anything, Calliope might have said about him. In fact, given their agreement, it was probably more plausible that she said nothing and pretended as though he was dead. "I know. But it is not because I did not want to see you. Forces beyond my control denied us any time we may have had prior to this day.

"There is far too much to cover in a single day. And if I might guess, you have a great deal of questions you yourself want to ask me. Let us sit and gather our thoughts a moment." With that, Altair pulled out a chair for her.

"Has Calliope spoken to you about the magical side of the family at all?"

Jacen smiled. "Suffering from an overprotective sister too huh?"

The questions that filled Cole's mind just moments ago seemed to evaporate as the facts sunk in. All she could do was take things one at a time. She sat in the chair that Altair had offered and decided to answer his question.

She shook her head. "No." Indeed, the first time she even heard about magic was when she received her Hogwarts letter on the summer of her eleventh birthday. She might as well have been a Muggle-born at the rate she knew about magic. She was pleasantly surprise at all the wonders magic held. "Not at all."

And now, her grandfather was introducing himself to her.

Gage smiled back at the teen. “Yeah. And she’s a Seer to boot, so she knows whenever something’s up... sometimes before it even happens. I asked her if she’d teach my 8-ball a thing or two, but she just laughed at me,” he said, snickering at the memory.


Altair sighed. “I anticipated as much.” He walked with meditative steps and lowered himself into the chair opposite Cole. “The Aquila family is an ancient one. Some of us have certain inherited traits, such as a keen inner eye or an ability to speak with birds, much like the Parselmouths communicate with snakes. Others are not blessed with either. If you develop one of the abilities, I may help you develop it further.

“Magic... betrayed your mother, in a manner of speaking. It is for this reason that she has turned away from magic, in addition to this latest tragedy. As such she has tried to turn you away from magic in the hopes you will not also be hurt. But if what I See does come to pass... well, let’s just say she will have done more harm than good despite her intentions.”

The elderly wizard paused, wondering how much to say and what to withhold. He wished he knew how much information his granddaughter could handle in a single sitting. “You had mentioned you seek to become an auror. If you are certain that is the path you wish to follow, I would like to personally impart some specialized knowledge that... if used wisely... will ensure a long and successful career for you.”

"Merlin, I can only imagine how difficult that could be." Jacen said wondering how much trouble a Seer Jaina would be. He shivered and looked back at the professor. "Are you ready to go?"


Her eyes never left Altair, wanting to commit him to memory. She had a grandfather. She didn't even realise she's always wanted one. Suddenly, he was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.

As he continued to speak however, Cole found what he had to say to be troubling. Well that was an understatement really. To cope with all of this new information, Cole had to take an objective point of view and not let her emotions get in the way. Magic betrayed her mother? How? It had to be pretty bad to have her leave the Wizarding World in an tempt to protect her. It seems those questions should be answered by her mother. Her frown deepened however, as Altair continued on. What did Altair See? Was it that bad that he had to introduce himself to her?

She was rather flattered to hear that he was paying attention to what she had told Professor Hall earlier. It was true, she wanted to be an Auror, the events that transpired over the summer had made her decision set.

She glanced up at him and took a moment before she spoke. "Did you See what happened to my father?"

Gage shrugged. "Not that bad once you get used to it..." What he meant to say was there were times he was thankful for Theresa's gift of Sight - it had saved his life a time or two. "Yep. Ready when you are."


Altair could practically hear the questions buzzing through Cole's mind, though what they were not even he could guess at this moment. When a question did bubble up from the depths he raised a single hand seemingly in a request for patience. "What you have to understand about the Gift is that it is inconsistent in its clarity. The event I spoke of appeared after the tragedy with your father... but yes, I did See that, as well. Certain details of the vision, however, were unclear to me."

"Well I'm sure it does come in handy." Jacen nodded. He stood by and let the professor lead, so that they could go whenever he was ready. Jacen was there for support anyway.

Cole took the information quitely. Blue eyes stared fixedly at Altair. "Did you See who did it?" Her tone was neither demanding nor acusatory. Just clinical, polite curiosity even.

"It does," Gage agreed, chuckling, "Particularly when we needed a lookout." It was part joke, and part reality. Noticing Jacen was letting him take the lead he stepped forward. Reaching a staircase, Gage stepped onto a stair and rapped his cane twice. Stone ground against stone as the magic caused the staircase to act like an escalator. "All aboard," the professor grinned cheekily.


Altair blinked at the question. It wasn't unexpected, but nor did he have a prepared answer for it. "I... felt, more than Saw, if this makes any sense. The vision of what happened was not fully clear to me and had occurred at a time that allowed little to no chance for intervention." Tentatively, he placed his hand near Cole's. "I can attempt to share this vision with you, if you so wish it?"