First part

As she had grabbed Cassana's hand once they finished shopping, she closed her eyes and thought of the small shop in the corner. It was full of food that wasn't the most proper thing for a girl like her to go to. But for her, all she wanted was to eat something greasy and filling, and something absolutely improper.

Still fairly knew to apparating, she was relieved to see that neither of them had gotten spliced and were safely in. Letting go, she grabbed her bag tightly and pushed the door open of the shop, the smells of pies, burgers, chicken, and all the works that would sure fatten them up. Much better than the apples she was expecting to eat. Looking behind her, she smiled at the girl hoping she'd be excited to try it.

"What do you think?"

Cassie was akin to the best of sins to exist: gluttony.

Which was a stupid sin because sometimes people didn't eat enough and to discourage them from doing so was just rude. Okay maybe that wasn't the point of the sin, but it's actual definition meant next to nothing to Cassie so hurumph to them. The point of that interlude was to define the shining fact that Cassie loved food. Her problem was she was afraid that foods would screw her over monumentally by saying pie, and then being something stranger like... well Cassie had no frame of comparing but the point is she didn't know the differences in culture between Europeans and Americans (except Europeans were just a tad better so far).

She took in a deep breath of the swirling aromas that reminded her of home and clasped her hands together as if praying to something.

"You're a goddess Tess, oh thank Merlin," she murmured in gratitude, as she looked at what the contents of the menu. Oh sweet Circe, they made milkshakes. "I'm a hundred percent serious, you're like the deity of great choices because I don't think this could be better unless they announced all the food was free and there was a leprechaun ready to bestow a dragon's load of gold on us." She froze and then looked around worriedly.

"Leprechaun's aren't real right? I mean they're not in America, but we're in Ireland right? Oh god am I being offensive?" She said, pressing a hand to her forehead in concern.

It was a bit nerve wracking to try and figure out exactly what people expected when she meant food. She knew that she had that air about her, the slightly arrogant way she carried herself. It was innate in every movement that she did. Arrogant, aloof, and graceful, That was a way a Holmes walked, yet Tess had found herself having a bit less arrogance the older she got. It was a weird middle ground for her, trying to keep what was her old identity and mesh it with the new one she was creating. Smiling to herself she shook her head.

Cassana definitely looked excited, she didn't even need to be asked, as she took everything in. She laughed softly at the idea of being called a goddess. That was most definitely new and she blushed lightly at the excitement that she showed with food. Signaling a table for two she sat down at the table that faced the window, so they could take everything in. She noticed that Cassana had a tendency to ramble on, and Tess not being too talkative went along with it. Laughing a bit louder at the mention of leprechauns, she shook her head.

"They are real yes, but they are only in Ireland" she covered her mouth amused trying to hide her amusement, "It's not offensive. You're okay"

Cassie grinned as they neared the counter, just a few more patrons short of them. She bit her lower lip before deciding on a delicious burger and fries, with a Coca-Cola (glad they sold them in the United Kingdoms) and turned to Tess. When she laughed Cassie felt, as per usual, the inordinately large sense of pride. Now, Cassie knew that it was rare to meet someone who spoke as much as her, but she was still shocked to find that Tess hadn't started spouting off facts about herself. That's what the populace of America tended to do when they met new people, talk about themselves after they talked about the common interest, and Cassie was content to listen. Now it was different and Cassie strategically chose which subjects to talk about.

"Glad I'll not be getting arrested for offending the leprechauns," She joked lightly, "you mentioned earlier that asking questions was how people got to know each other and I think the best way to start is to start with the question of what's your favorite animal?" She would stay on light grounds, but commit these factoids to memory because later on in friendships it was the small details that counted.

Food. Tess loved food. Who didn't? But she was odd about it. Sometimes she would go through periods of forgetting to eat. Usually it was caused by the fact that her studies were the priority over her own health. But when she did eat, she really ate. She tried not to binge, but eating throughout the day was a process that usually kept her thriving.

Looking at the menu, she mulled over her choices. She was never one to eat red meat a lot, nor anything that dealt with getting her hands dirty. She was in the mood for quiche, quiche Florentine to be exact. Smiling to herself she ordered it along with a strawberry lemonade.

"You mentioned earlier that asking questions was how people got to know each other and I think the best way to start is to start with the question of what's your favorite animal?"

Tess was a bit caught off guard at her question. It seemed silly but she'd never been asked a question. It seemed a bit frivolous. Rhian knew lots of things from her by just observing. Like her favorite colors, routines, foods. Still, as Cassana asked such an innocent question, a small smile formed.

"Dolphins" she replied a bit embarrassed. "I love marine mammals. Whales of all kinds, but overall dolphins are my favorite animal."

Realizing that perhaps social protocol was to ask one in return, she smiled and tried to figure one out on her own. She didn't want to ask the same thing, so she came up with the next best thing.

"What is your....favorite place to visit for holiday?"

Cassie thought of all the conversations she had and they tended to blur together like an unfocused video. They came in snippets, in strange memories, only the meaningful ones sticking out to her so brightly she'd grasp at them and revel in their memory. She wasn't used to not immediately clicking to people- nor was she used to knocking strangers to the floor (normally she knocked friends down to the floor) and so Tess was a bit of a conundrum. But it was the best sort of conundrum honestly, and she was glad to have met her so far.

"I think sea otters are simply adorable and I wish they made dogs that cute," she bit her tongue at saying how much she loved dogs over cats for fear that Tess would be a cat lover. It was always important to know whether someone stood with the cats or the dogs.

"My favorite place to visit would have to be New York City," she answered earnestly, "I was born there and I'd go there a lot when I was younger with my dad. He thought it was important I be better focused on the magic part of my life growing up."

"If you could be anything for just a day what would you be? Like you could be a unicorn or a vampire or even a leprechaun," she laughed lightly at her own reference to their first conversation in the diner.

Twenty questions, how utterly mundane but nice in some weird way. It wasn't as harsh as an interrogation, a need to throw oneself into the ideas of whatever pleased another. She would never be that kind of person, in fact, she often times tended to offend when she never meant to. Her tongue had gotten her in and out of trouble, but it was her defect. She had to admit she was relieved to see that Cassana, 'Cassie' her mind chastised, right. Cassie, happy with the question. Sea otters were adorable she did admit, but at the mention of dogs her lip twitched.

"I love dogs. Shame they aren't considered familiars." she murmured as she sipped her drink.


New York City? Oh she'd travel there multiple times, but it was hard to take the city in when it was one business building to another. Never ending business deals being formulated and closed. Politics being done and argued over .Never something she dreamed to have.

"If you could be anything for just a day what would you be? Like you could be a unicorn or a vampire or even a leprechaun,"

Tess shook her head at the girl's question amused.

"Mermaid" she answered with little hesitation. "I always wanted to be one, being underwater and just...I really love the ocean" she admitted coyly. "Seems silly, but at Hogwarts there were mermaids. People told me they were aggressive but...but to me they were the sweetest beasts."

Cassie felt the sort of bond between Tess as one she may have felt with Gabriella, had there not been such a gap between them. Or maybe if Gabriella had just decided to stay in America. She bit back a frown at that, it was neither her's nor her sister's fault that- whatever, her brain forced the question from her brain, irritated with the train of thought. She smiled brightly at the other witch at the mention of dogs.

"I love dogs, big ones, small ones, medium ones. I have one he's this tiny little French bull dog who just pees everywhere," she cringed at the thought of Max, whom she loved maybe 80% of the time, "I'm sorry, my point was dogs should be familiars."

One of these days, Cassie would be self-aware of her oddities but that wasn't any day soon.

"Mermaids huh?" Truth be told, Cassie hadn't really had much contact with magical creatures. She wished she did because that would be amazing. "What're they like? Are they beautiful? Do they have melodious voices? How'd you meet them? How aggressive are they? Did you get hurt?" The questions just flowed out of Cassie like water from a river into a ravine.

As Cassie began to chat about dogs, Tess lifted her hand and cover the ever-growing smile blooming on her face. Cassie had a very perky personality, a never ending charm to her that made her wonder why was she so interested in knowing her. She personally didn't think she was interesting, so Cassie's need to know her confused her greatly. Still, she went in stride with everything that she was willing to give her. The grin was ever growing at the mention of Max the dog. She always wanted a dog, but the only time there was a dog in her household was the large German Shepherd that Mycroft owned as a child. The dog never warmed up to her, only to him and she always wished to have a small dog to cuddle.

"That sounds...amusing"she said and giggled despite herself.

Tess rarely giggled and would vehemently deny being capable of doing so. But apparently she could. Blushing slightly she was thankful that the food came and she immediately dove in. Taking a forkful of quiche. As Cassie continued her questions, her eyes crinkled in amusement. Sipping her drink she shook her head.

"Mermaids come in all different shapes and sizes depending on where they're from" she had done extensive research in them. "The ones at Hogwarts were smaller, had green skin, not like the artwork depicts. Sirens are the beautiful ones" she said sighing, "I always wanted to see those. They have the beautiful voices. So more likely I'd love to be a siren"

At the mention of getting hurt, Tess shook her head. No, the mermaids were kind to her, always curious, keeping their distance but never enough to want to harm her. They were always something that Tess longed to swim with side by side.

"They aren't that aggressive unless you get it their territory."

Cassie wasn't a person who was good at reading other people. That was a fact truer than the existence of platypus to her (she'd never seen one so she had yet to believe they were real). However from the fact that Tess was, indeed, a rather beautiful girl who as funny and dealt with Cassana's strangeness like she was somehow trained to was enough for Cassie to draw the conclusion that Tess (maybe) didn't have a plethora of friends. Then again, maybe she did and Cassie was wrong (she wouldn't say anything about the matter. However, Cassie resigned to making a lasting friendship with Tess no matter the circumstances.

Every laugh and smile Cassie felt her persistence to do so grow stronger.

"Really?" She was shocked by the word choice and overflowing with jubilance. "I normally get, please check yourself into an insane asylum or did you not take some important medication you should have this morning? Not amusing, but I'll take that as a compliment." She grinned at Tess widely.

When Tess started talking about mermaids and sirens, Cassie nodded understandably like the way one does to assure the other they're listening whilst sipping her milkshake happily, a fry half way to her mouth before she spoke again.

"So you're in college right?" She asked bluntly, realizing she could offend the girl she ventured further. "I mean that's not to say you look too young, but I mean you don't look that old either so you've got to be in college and if you're in college, what're you majoring in? Care for Creatures? Dragon Training, do you go to Merlin's Academy for Excellence?" She stopped speaking to eat her fry, closed mouthed because any other way was just rude. "The way you talk about mermaids, is so full of fondness, it's kinda inspiring." She told the other with honestly.

One thought to another seemed to flow from Cassie in a way that often times left Tess a bit dizzy. But it was refreshing; the enthusiasm that way she didn't care about what people thought of her. Tess could never be that way, she couldn't shake the feeling of constantly being judged by just being herself. In fact, there were moments where she wondered exactly what it meant for her to be "herself". Did people just know automatically? This was not something she wanted to think about.

Shaking her head her smile remained, small, but enough to try and show Cassie that she was listening. Tess was good at that; good at taking things in and filing them for people to keep the qualities in check.

"While I cannot judge sanity for myself, I see no harm in being a bit...off" she replied hoping it sounded like a joke.

Her next questions surprised Tess and she tilted her head as Cassie began to fumble over her words. Her lip twitched as the girl tried to make it sound less like an insult. She wasn't offended. Waving her hand for the girl to stop she hoped to get a few words in.

"Healing" she said softly, "and recently Dragon Training. I hope to integrate them in working with beasts and creatures. You said potions before correct?"

Tess reminded Cassie of an animal not in a bad way and nothing magical, but something... The thought daunted her for a moment. Then amidst the first bites of her burger it hit her; a swan. Not an actual one because birds were gross and carried diseases, but the symbol of beauty, of grace, of elegance all were things Tess were. Cassie blinked at the realization, biting her lower lip not wanting to say her thoughts aloud. For once in her life, filtering her thoughts. Tess was like- like Princess Fiona from Shrek! Except not an ogre (not that the motivational story from Fiona wasn't inspiring, how she learned to love herself for all that she was despite her outwards appearance and found her own love). Tess was strong, beautiful, probably talented, but aloof. Not in the way that was in a daydream but more like aloof as in she was somehow more than this world could take. Not in a vain way but in a way that said: "I'm a lot to handle, but I'm worth it."

At the "bit off" comment, Cassie snorted in trying to contain her laughter before bursting into it. She was glad Tess had spoke her mind, glad that she could see that Tess was being honest with her, and more or less content to say that this wasn't one of those meetings that ended once they parted ways. It was a beginning.

"Healing and dragon training?" She asked in surprise, now she was sure that Tess was talented. "You're trying to integrate them together? Tess that's brilliant! I love it!" Her eyes were alight with ecstatic excitement. "Those are two incredibly useful majors. And dragons those are some beautiful creatures, how terrifyingly amazing it must be to see such extremities of nature up close. They're strong and gorgeous, but -" she stopped her train of thought, surprised by where it went. Strong and gorgeous but delicate underneath the surface, their pretty scales and eyes and fire a way of protecting themselves from harm; emotional and physical. For a moment, Cassie's curiosity was sparked inside her head, did Tess maybe have an affinity for dragons because she related to them? Were th- she shoved the thought far, far from her mind because that wasn't-it wasn't something for her to be thinking. "But how are you not scared of them?"

Tess lifted a forkful of her food to prevent her from smiling at the fact that she'd made Cassie laugh. She knew she had her moments of making people laugh, she had some humor. But it was cut dry, sarcastic that she'd only found Rhian to find amusing. But she knew that was only because Rhian shared the same fighting spirit she did, just in a different way.

Growing up, Tess found how to mix grace, gentility, and intonation to derive insult. A small snide remark amongst feathery language was her form of entertainment when she would be forced to attend those balls. A drop of a gaze, a tilt of a chin, and a small twist of her mouth, and nothing could be said in response because of the power her name held. But those were the times she tried to put behind her. She was no longer seeking to stay within the niche that her family created. No. She strived to thrive for her own being, her own weight around and forced doors open with charisma. While she was still learning, she found herself glad to see that not the whole world was so gentle in their acceptance of things.

Yet despite her wanting to grow, Tess had a fondness for compliments. They thrilled her and made her ego thrive, which she would never admit (but she cared greatly what people thought about her). Despite her disposition of nonchalance, underneath it all she sough out approval. So as Cassie complimented her choice in career, she made a graceful attempt at modesty, simply waving it off and sipping her drink. It was only until she heard her last question that she looked serious.

"Dragons are frightening" she said thoughtfully, "when I first saw them, they made me feel like I was the smallest thing out there. Names, power, money meant nothing in their eyes. They didn't discriminate when it came to food" her lip twitched, "but they have heart. You should see them" her eyes brightened, "The way they take care of their young, the way that they aren't as aggressive but...but they protect themselves and their own. They're so rare, so powerful yet....in a moments notice they win you over not by their strength, but but by their being. Their presence"

She finished her comment wistfully. It was when talking about what she loved that she'd spoken more than a few sentences.

Cassie thrived off of smiles, in a way that was like her very own reward for her attitude towards people. She can't pin exactly when she became so talkative or happy, but she wants to place it on the time her sister left for Hogwarts. She was given room to grow to be her own person, more than just surliness. She became courageous and with courage came confidence. With confidence came the ability to let herself love herself. Then somewhere on that line she managed to discover a knack for klutziness a strange ability to fall where the ground was completely flat. Every smile, every laugh she got from someone felt like a tiny prize and she felt proud of each one of them.

To her there was nothing greater in the world than a smile. It was but a gentle upturn of the lips, a small gesture, but it meant so much to her. Her own sister had never bothered to smile that much at her. As she'd thought to herself so often, in America it was easy to draw smiles from other people. A small joke, a little jest, and something stupid from her mouth that made them laugh at her silliness. Rare was it that she met someone passionate about a subject other than themselves.

As Tess talked about dragons, Cassie completely ignored her food in favor of watching Tess speak. It was all too fascinating to meet someone with a passion for something they loved.

"One of these days you'll have to take me to see these beauties," she said offhandedly before chewing thoughtfully on her burger, then she swallowed before speaking again, trying to relate to Tess's love for dragons with hers of potions, "do you have a favorite type? Do all dragons fly? What kinds of foods do they eat?"

Dragons started off as a fairytale as a child. The maids and heroes fighting off vicious dragons. She was never interested in being a maiden, she was interested in the scales, the regalness, the power that came from dragons. And when she'd become six, her eldest brother Sherringford had given her the book about them. She had never been close to him, but at his passing she missed him terribly. He had cherished dragons as a child too, and as his toys soon became hers, she enjoyed them greatly.

"Antipodean Opaleye" she said in a surprisingly dreamily, "they're the ones that have the scales that shine. There eyes are multicolored and they glitter just wonderfully. They also aren't aggressive, which are just lovely and when they fly, the wind that they bring. I should take you to the stables sometimes."

Cassie didn't tend to judge people on their actions, ever. If she did it normally accompanied a good judgment. She was an optimist like that. She was the kind to see the good in people before their actual colors. She was oblivious like that. Her current judgment of Tess was that Tess was going to be one of her closest friends during her college years at Merlin's. It wasn't that she thought that perhaps Tess needed more friends or that they were going to be best friends, but it was along the lines of the latter. Tess was so very exquisite in her word choice and mannerisms, graceful where Cassie was not, impassive while Cassie was all emotions.

"Dragons fit in stables?" She took another sip from her milkshake, "or are they just huge stables? It changes colors? Have you ever been to a muggle zoo? They've got these lizards called chameleons that change colors too, but they can't fly and they're kinda ugly in all reality. Scratch that, don't go to a muggle zoo. It stinks." Cassie blinked, her train of thought lost before smiling sheepishly. "When did you take an interest behind dragons? Surely there's a story behind that kind of interest. Not that it's bad, but more like I've never really met dragon trainers before so I'm just a touch curious."

Animals were the way to Tess' heart. Animals could never talk, never judged and could love unconditionally. She wanted something like that in her life. The pressure of being a certain way tended to melt away from her when around animals. She had an affinity with them, always finding herself at peace. For people like her, tended to have that connection, her mother had hinted towards it when she was around her brother's German Shepherd as a kid. But she never had one of her own, instead had an Owl, not bothering with cats. She figured when Rhian came into her life and she began to socialize more, she would no longer have that need to be around animals, but it was not true. Because the moment she was around them, she found that need to be around them. Even now, being an adult.


Cassie's questions were always so enthusiastic and she smiled softly at her, fond at the way that she wanted to learn more. Despite the fact that Tess was saying too much, Cassie didn't mind it. The way that Cassie inquired, it made her wonder what house Cassie would be in at Hogwarts. Ravenclaw probably. Despite the cheery personality, she saw the intelligence behind her eyes.

"Muggle zoos?" was the only thing that popped out of her mouth confused. "Zoos? Do they have dragons there?"

The muggle world was not a place she had ever visited. Even while Avalon was connected on the other side of the muggle world, she never went that way. It had always been forbidden for her to go that way when young, and even now, the lingering fears of that world kept her at bay. The muggle world wasn't for her.

"Dragons? Always" she said shrugging, "a beast like that was always in fairytale books as a child. My older brother he used to give me things from his travels, and even now, I tend to collect them."

Cassana thought some animals were cute and she loved all of them, but loathed frogs and toads. They were filthy creatures! Plus they were the connotation to witches were of the devil's work. Since the Rose family traced back to the Salem Witch Trials, their matriarch a Barbados witch, there was a hint of touchiness around the common image of a witch. Witches were a popular thing in America, but none of them ever seemed to hit the nail on the head with reality or accuracy. Of course she hadn't expected them to, but they could definitely do better than a green woman with a crooked nose and puritan hat atop her head carrying a broomstick. For Circe's sake, Cassie didn't even ride a broomstick!

"Yup," she made a popping sound with p, "they're full of semi-exotic animals you see in books like zebras, lions, giraffes, all those good things, except I don't if they have in England but they probably do!" She laughed, just a little at the dragon's thing. "Nope, but some of them have what muggles consider dragons. They're called komodo dragons, but I can't ever really see why since they're all don't look like dragons at all it's kind of silly now that I think about it."

"I don't think I could imagine Professor Holmes hunched over your bed reading you a fairytale in footsie pajamas," she joked lightly, "you must have quite an encyclopedia on them, what're they like as babies? Do all dragons breath fire? I mean if they can't are they just huge lizards? Oh, I don't mean that offensively but I think- and I'm almost positive what I think about this is wrong - dragons come from a branch of lizard? Well, if they don't they've all got scales. Not that I'm prejudice against them, but that's just ah, uh, common trait, I'll stop now."

The muggle world was a mysterious place for Tess, a place that was too foreign for her to ever think about visiting. That was where witches were at one point burned, that people were taken to asylum as crazy for claiming powers they actually were born with. And overall a world that a pureblood like her was not meant to be around. It was hard enough for her to deal with the changes in her flat: the 'refrigerator', 'electricity', was already super daunting. She could only imagine that dealing with a world full of 'technology' would be too overwhelming. She was better off staying in the wizarding world, where things made sense for a sheltered pureblood like herself.

She wondered briefly, what pureblood was like in the Americas and if it held the same ideologies of avoidance within the Muggle world. She wasn't prejudice (her family had avoided muggle life/culture/people for centuries and had only recently allowed themselves to interact with impurebloods), she was much more progressive than the previous generations, but the actual world of muggles made her uneasy.

The idea of a place with exotic things made her think of the menagerie, except with exotic animals. Something that would entice her, but never enough to go full on out. She'd learned about the animals she mentioned before, there were magical sanctuaries to visit, but 'zoo'? Interesting.

She felt her stomach drop as Cassie assumed it was Mycroft who read to her and shuffled her feet uncomfortably under her seat. Sherringford was someone that was easily highlighted as one of the best prodigies in her family. He had a promise of doing a lot to the world. Yet his death had brought a whole in her family's life. No one wanted to lose the first child, especially not like him. She remembered glimpses of him, briefly, of a small smile, and how heroic he tended to be. She knew Mycroft tried to emulate him when he had passed, tried to function as a proper replacement. Clearing her throat she nodded, not wanting to mention her wrong assumption.

"Dragons are born from eggs" she started tentatively, "like many other reptiles. They don't learn to breathe fire yet till later in their development, but yes they all breathe fire. Also, they eat blood and bourbon in their bottle, and later on get into eating meet." her eyes flashed calling them basic reptiles, "trust me, they're special"

Her parents had been hesitant, originally at least, to allow her to attend Merlin's. She would face many cultural differences- and all they wished was to protect their second daughter, that wasn't so wrong. However, what was wrong was her mother's suggestion she go back to Thom Selkins to marry him. She'd want for nothing, live a good, safe, protected life, and basically be at his beck and call. As if. Cassie was appalled at the idea, but instead simply refused the offer from her mother and begun packing, ready to never bring that awful subject up again.

Cassie loved animals, but to an extent. She'd never read up much on them besides dogs, and that was within reason. Ooh, and owls, she needed to know a lot about them because if she didn't she'd probably kill her owl, Yule. Max and Yule were constants in her life, so she definitely wanted them alive for an extended amount of time. She knew that she had a terrible fear of frogs and toads, but not snakes or spiders or sharks. That was the extent of her knowledge on animals. Magical animals? None.

As Tess spoke about dragons, she nodded her head in clear excitement.

"That's rather wonderful, have you had experience with baby dragons before? What do you do exactly as a dragon trainer? What're you training them for, is there like a secret dragon Olympics that no one knows about?" Cassie asked, crossing one knee over the other as it bounced under the table, her energy never ending nor her obliviousness.

Tess felt like she was interviewed for something. It was a mixture of shock and a mixture of nervousness. It was like being under a microscope for a person that she was getting to know over a meal. Food was something that she enjoyed having over any conversation. And as the quiche was being ignored, she looked down at it and tried to pick at it. She didn't find herself to be too interesting, compared to other people.

Her hobbies, her education, her love of animals were now slowly delving into her personal life. Perhaps it was the looming perception of Sherringford that was over her head. His dead, even years after affected her more than she could ever expect. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she took a gulp of her drink and cleared her throat.

"Not yet" she said softly,"We'll see. But enough about me, I'm not that interesting. But what about you? I barely know anything about you."

Cassie liked Tess. Honestly as a person, Tess was interesting and she was good at dealing with Cassie's energy. She had yet to hex Cassie or send her away, or even push away her questions. For Cassie it was like she was reaching into who Gabriella was. At least, Cassie liked to imagine they'd be alike because they were both graceful. Her imagination partially stemmed from the fact that Tess and Gabriella both had short hair and a gracefulness that Cassie could never pull off (no need to question why she believed that because she was adamant to think she could ever be graceful unless she had a charm cast on her).

So when Tess closed her eyes and cleared her throat, Cassie wondered if that was supposed to be a social cue. Had she overstepped a boundary? She didn't want to delve into questions about that, however, because that could get more awkward. Maybe Tess was tired? Cassie had just crashed into her and neither girl looked to be a muscular, body builder kind of girl so it was only reasonable that maybe Tess was tired after taking the brunt of the fall.

"I know it's not easy to talk to me since I talk a lot and I don't know when to stop sometimes, but if you're uncomfortable with something I say please tell me, because otherwise I'll never know and I'll keep going on and probably offending you" Cassie said bluntly as she finished off her fries, but there was no hostility or anger in her tone, just a soft sort of lilt in her tone. When Tess asked about her, Cassie shrugged casually as she took another bite of her burger.

"I'm kind of an open book," but she opened up her left hand used her right hand to make a tick-off motion as she listed things, "I major at Merlin's in Potions, I like to read a lot, I'm extremely clumsy, I came here from America and I have a dog named Max and an owl named Yule. I went to this witchcraft and wizarding school founded after the Salem Witch Trial's titled Tituba's Academy for Gifted Children and excelled in Potions and Spells as was my House gift since we all majored in Potions and Spells. I like to cook, and write, but I'm hopeless at any other physical activity besides running and dancing. Anything else?" She smiled sheepishly, she never minded talking about herself, she had no real secrets besides her only relationship ever and her sister.

"I know it's not easy to talk to me since I talk a lot and I don't know when to stop sometimes, but if you're uncomfortable with something I say please tell me, because otherwise I'll never know and I'll keep going on and probably offending you"

Tess visibly flinched at her tone; not because she found it insulting, but rather because she knew social faux pas and that was one of them. Never in her eighteen years of existence had someone been so pleasantly improper in front of her. She nodded softly unsure to really answer it. She always bit her tongue when she was asked to be honest. Because no one really wanted honesty, they wanted to hear what they expected. A parroting of whatever fleeting hope that they had. And Tess was okay with it, she always bit her tongue and prevented herself from pouring out her critique about anything and everything about her.

Eating her quiche she wondered how she'd ignored it thus far. This was one of her favorite meals at the quaint little spot. So charming and homie; everything she wished her home would be. Smiling softly, she continued to eat her food, and she ate her food quietly waiting for Cassie to answer.

And as she spoke about herself, Cassie's words flowed freely. Her lip twitched because of the unspoken effect of her clumsiness. Tilting her head she wondered about the school, so it wasn't the Salem Academy that she knew?

"Tituba's?" she repeated confused.

Cassie wasn't well acquainted with the action of hurting another person, emotionally or physically. She was like two inches taller than five feet, she was barely a threat to a freaking kindergartener and she just exuded the sort of personality that normally matched a puppy's. She wasn't seen as threatening and so she wasn't. For the most part at least. If someone were to say threaten her, then Cassie would go on the offensive and probably end up in the Medical Ward. When Tess flinched, immediately Cassie tried to think if she had kicked her under the table by stretching on accident, but she couldn't recall.

"Are you sure you're not hurt from the crash? I didn't mean to take you down, swear it!" Her eyebrows furrowed in incessant worry. "Does your head hurt or maybe one of your sides, do you need medical attention?" She bit her lower lip, looking over Tess's face to see any sign of physical damage. Surely she didn't hurt the Holmes' girl too bad.

Cassie smiled hesitantly, trying to be reassuring at Tess's question before answering with all that she knew about her school.

"In 1692, the Salem Witch Trials began, a series of witch trials began in Salem, Massachusetts, and the first charged were Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, a slave from Barbados, cool fact she's my matriarch, and Tituba. Probably already knew all that, except for the Barbados slave fact cos' it would just be weird if you already knew that," she breathed in deeply, almost jokingly like she was about let loose a hailstorm of words (for all she knew to Tess it may as well be), "Tituba's was opened under the impression it was strictly to be a girl's school and to keep the safety of witches purely to just witches, they stayed under the grid for the longest time. Up until ten years before my dad started school they began integrating into taking all magical children with houses such as House of Goode, House of Osborne, House of Tituba, and House of Colony, anyway, I was in House of Osborne. It's like the private school of magical schools, and all that jazz, but it is pretty great."

She smiled teasingly.

"Any burning questions to ask me?"

The most embarrassing part of this whole dinner was the fact that Cassie managed to bring up the situation that Tess wanted to forget. The fall. Tess prided herself in being graceful, each step calculative, never unsure, and always on point. Yet there she was, being reminded of when her grace meant nothing for sturdiness.

"Are you sure you're not hurt from the crash? I didn't mean to take you down, swear it!"

"Does your head hurt or maybe one of your sides, do you need medical attention?"

Tess shook her head embarrassed at the fact that Cassie was asking her so much.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd prefer if we forget about the whole debacle. I think the only part that was really bruised was my ego." she admitted.

The way Cassie talked was rushed, quick and excited. Few breaths were taken in between and Tess tried to catch every detail that was thrown her way. The school wasn't as promoted as Salem was, Salem was known world-wide for it's impact in the American System and the idea of helping mend the ties of witches and the muggle world.

"I have to admit that I am not good at asking questions." she said frowning, "it's too much pressure"