[Night Aug 19th] Black as Ink Return (Dristan/Rose/Nikolaus)

Nikolaus was halfway through the summary of a Quidditch match in the Daily Prophet - the headline 'Treachery and Disaster in Ireland' blaring across the front of the paper, visible from how Nikolaus was holding it, complete with an animated picture of a raging fire - when he heard the chimes. He set the paper aside, and looked up. And sure enough... a repeat customer. It was always so nice to have those, wasn't it?

He got up, smoothed out his tailored, turquoise three-piece suit and reached for his cane. The possessed professor. The still-possessed professor. Well, this ought to be interesting.

"Bienvenue, à nouveau," Nikolaus greeted, taking his place next to Rose. Damn, did she look good in that dress. He was able to keep his eyes on Dristan, though, to his credit.

"Dristan?" Rose pondered this a moment. It seemed awfully familiar for someone she'd only met once before today. Come to think about it, she'd agreed to call Aisha by her first name almost as fast as that. So she held out her hand for him to shake. "Rose."

The blonde didn't notice the way he was studying the way they were both dressed. As for her, she was used to Nikolaus making a point to always buy outfits that matched hers. It showed he liked her taste in clothes. She knew it might make people think they were a couple or partners, at least. But well, they were work partners and the Tremere could not care less what people thought anyway.

"Still ongoing, huh?" She smirked slightly at the way he'd phrased that. Maybe he'd taken her advice and entrusted someone else with this research, after all. "There are worse vices than being a fan of such topics. And if your library is a family heirlom, it only makes sense that you would want to contribute and enrich it. Anything in particular you'd like to see?"

This time though, the Tremere Regent noticed the way he was studying her. She raised a thin blond quizzical eyebrow. When he eventually spoke up, she relaxed a bit and smiled back, just a bit. "Quarter-veela to be exact. I'm taking it I'm not the first one you've met, now am I?"

Dristan gently takes Rose's when she offered and the gentleman he was a gentle kiss to the top of her hand and a gentle release. "My honor to meet you once more and I mean the both of you." Speaking respectfully.

"Yes ongoing currently. Other things have arisen that require my attention and I have been dealing with them." He would not speak on the matters.

Dristan did smile when Rose asked if he had met another veela. "Many years ago when I was a student. She was beautiful as you are." His eyes looking to the counter remembering when he met Fleur. They never talked but he was lucky for her to look at him once. A fond memory.

He pulled himself from the memiry when the talk of books came up. "Whatever you both have I desire to read. The older the better." There was that brief moment if excitement he always had when he would purchase such things to read about.

"Allow me to ask this...what do you both recommend for a man that has a family library that spans several centuries?"

This guy was bold, there was no mistaking that. Kissing a woman's hand was a sign of respect... a century or two ago, and was almost unheard of in modern nights. Still, Nikolaus let it slide; maybe this guy knew they were vampires (almost everyone else in Knockturn Alley did), and figured Rose was a lot older than she looked. Which, of course, she was.

Another veela student? They were rare indeed, or at least from what Rose explained. Veela having children with humans wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't common, either. He could see Rose's interest. As the subject changed to books, Nikolaus stayed silent, eyes locked on Dristan, but occasionally flitting to Rose. He loved how passionate she was about books. She owned a bookshop, after all; it was only fitting. They could spend hours talking about them, and Rose never ran out of things to say.

So, Dristan had a library of his own. Not uncommon for wizards, particularly those with the money to afford it. If it was as big as he claimed... him coming here looking to add to his collection must have been quite the compliment to the Regent.

"Delacour?" She smirked slightly. "A very old family of French wizards. Though, I guess, they're more famous for their ties with the Weasley family these days. They've been studying at Beauxbâtons for pretty much as long as the Academy has existed," She explained, before adding. "Or so I'm told. But I can confirm that at least part of it is true, having been a student there myself."

She looked at him as he released her hand, tilting her head in a way that seemed to say. 'Have you figured it out yet?' Of course, the Tremere had known letting him hold and kiss her hand was going to be a dead giveaway, pun intended. But it's not like she was trying to hide what she was. She rarely volunteered the information but whenever she didn't strictly need to uphold the Masquerade, she would never lie about being Kindred. It was something to be proud of, after all. Especially when you're Tremere.

"Wars wizards and muggles were involved in?" Rose turned to Nikolaus, knowing that this was a subject that was most likely to catch his interest. The blonde was interested by the topic too, of course, for different reasons. She'd lost a family to a wizard war. But Nikolaus had become Kindred because of a war.

Rose was listening with rapt attention, and despite her mostly neutral expression, the way her eyes seem to shine would betray that. He never really found people as interested in books as him? Well maybe today was his lucky day. "Poe's writing is very enticing, isn't it?" The Regent said, with a soft, barely there smile. "Have you read Beaudelaire too? It's exquisite. Though I'm afraid the English doesn't do justice to the intensity of the French text. But maybe you happen to speak French too?"

She went to fetch a log behind her counter before coming back to stand in front of Dristan once more. "History of magic in general is one of the most interesting subjects if you ask me. You can look for things to read every day for a century and never run out of books." It kinda showed she was talking from personal experience there. "Blood magic, really? Such writings are very rare." And so easily stolen or set aflame whenever a Tremere was to find them. Of course, not all blood magic was Thaumaturgy. But all Thaumaturgy was blood magic. "Maybe I should be the one visiting your library, next time."

Dristan took in the looks and had his answer. He was in the midst of vampires...interesting. "The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, The Raven. The man was very exquisite in his writings but that is my opinion of him." He smiles for a moment.

"Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as Nevermore. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before." His favorite quote.

When Rose looked to Nikolaus when he had brought wars Dristan nods knowing now the gentleman was older than he appeared. "Alas dear lady I have not read that one but with a simple spell I would be able to speak and read such a beautiful language."

"Indeed the history of magic is never ending thus why my search always continues." Another smile as Rose is now in front of him.

"The dark ages....where lore, myth, magic all collide and superstitions ran rampant. A time I would have loved to see." He nods respectfully to Nikolaus.

"Yes the writings I have on such magic came from ages past from an ancestor. Strange though he seemed to have vanished in a sense. Not die just vanished according to my family archives."

He looks at Rose for a moment with her comment of visiting his family library. "Then perhaps I should prepare a room for the both of you at my estate. It will take you both a very long time to go through all I have."

He ponders a moment. "A question without being disrespectful. We are what we are. To be a proper host I must know your favorite type to dine upon?" A calculated risk.

Nikolaus stayed silent as Dristan listed off of his literary tastes. He knew Rose would approve, but right now, Nikolaus was focusing on other things. A spell that could allow one to learn any language? How fascinating. There was a Thaumaturgy ritual that did something similar, but it was a bit more involved than what Dristan seemed to be describing.

"Do you know how long ago the books disappeared?" If it was recent enough, it was possible that Rose and Nikolaus could at least find out what happened to them. But his offer surprised him; he wanted them to stay with him at his estate? And Rose was accepting? Was there something in Dristan's aura that Rose saw that he didn't? They barely knew this guy. And then it hit him; he was a professor. Aisha wasn't one anymore; and if Rose wanted to get into Hogwarts - and perhaps more importantly, Hogwarts' library - she needed a new current professor to vouch for her. A letter of recommendation from Aisha wasn't going to go as far, anymore.

When Rose shot down his request to know what to 'dine upon,' he had to suppress a smirk. He remained silent while Dristan answered her question.

"We just might, Mr. Adamson, we just might." Rose replied before correcting herself regarding the way she’d just addressed him. "My apologies… Dristan."

She could tell that Nikolaus was not totally approving of her decision, but he also knew she couldn’t resist such a promising library. Dristan, for all demon possessed and Slytherin than he was, seemed to be someone she could trust not to try and kill them while they’d be staying over. First, because he was a bookworm and a Hogwarts’ teacher (even if the reputation of Hogwarts’ professors had been slightly tainted after the Quinn episode). Second, because he seemed to be looking for the company of people who would share the same interests and would not judge him. Rose could play that part. Besides, Nikolaus would be there to protect her. He always was.

His next question surprised her. He still wanted to thank them, after the generous payment he’d made last time? The Tremere Regent pondered the question a moment and then, replied. "Actually… I’ve been entertaining the idea of applying for a position at Hogwarts, lately. As a professor yourself, maybe you’d have some advice to give me?"

"My advice is very simple. For me teaching the students and being a part of the staff to help them learn such wonderous rhings is my true core."

Dristan looks between the both of them and continues. "It does not matter what is going in your life or...unlife. The students come first if this is what you desire. Their safety, the teachings and most importantly being there for them. To let them know they can trust and rely on you is what is important."

Dristan always took his professorship with such dedication. "That is my advice. If there is more than by all means please let me know."

Nikolaus listened as well. As a former soldier - or, rather, as a former insurgent doing several things he's not entirely proud of during a guerilla campaign against foreign occupiers committing war crimes - one of his rules was that he would never harm a child. He'd seen too many of them hurt during the war, and he knew that was a line Rose would never cross, too.

But he also knew that Rose wanted more than just 'advice.' As she asked her next question, he remained silent, only standing dutifully at her side, his eyes never leaving Dristan's face.