"Cousin?" Ignan enquired, ever so tentatively. Camille had become seemingly stuck, china teacup halfway between her chin and the saucer.

"Just, just a moment." Camille replied, blinking hard and shaking her head ever so slightly. She was trying to settle the thoughts of what she had just been told. Her bright blue eyes were wide, clear, stunned, and her arms looked tense. The tiny frown lines at the top of her nose showed deep thought.

Seated at her classroom table, Ignan waited patiently, hands resting on the tabletop, frowning thoughtfully. The table itself was scattered with marking, a few books, a chart of calculations and diagrams and a calendar. The teapot was faintly steaming amongst it all, accompanied by the sugar bowl and milk jug on a tray Camille's house elf had brought. It was an altogether less friendly and not a witty elf like Gerda. It explained why his elf rolled her nose up when asked about him. Ignan was fond of Gerda, he encouraged her to be less conventional. He'd never seen himself owning and elf.

Camille's lips moved to speak and Ignan brought his gaze back from contemplating the tea tray and house elves.

"He's your…"
"Yes."
"Is he the only one?"

Camille narrowed her eyes and inclined forward as she asked, as if examining Ignan for any sign of lying. The corner of the wizard's mouth twitched. It was a logical question. He'd laid awake at night contemplating the answer.

"I hope so."

His cousin and colleague let out a hoot of amusement at the reply and her teacup landed back in the saucer with a clink. Despite the noise, Ignan did not perceive it as entirely good humour, but rather an edge of sarcasm. He had anticipated Camille would be a little irritated to find out like this. Especially to find out that Miranda, Johann and Gabrielle already knew some time before her. He hoped she would see why - that Wolfgang finding out would have become problematic. He would have used it to his advantage in some way or another.

"My, what a small world it is." Camille remarked, lifting her teacup again, lips pursing to sip from it. Before it reached them, she lowered it again almost in a tease. "And how long have you known?" Ignan gave a little sigh, shuffling an elbow on the tabletop.
"Since October last - well, year before last." The new year not long past almost caught him out. Hearing it aloud made him all the more conscious of how long it had been, and what little action had resulted.

Camille's eyes narrowed, those lines at the top of her nose reappearing.
"Over a year! And how long has Johann known?" His cousin's queries were placed carefully and clearly, she didn't fear him at all. If anything, Camille was one of the people who might dare to put Ignan in his place if he overstepped, which was something he was watching for. Since coming to Britain and standing on her own two feet out of Wolfgang's shadow, she had revealed tenacity and an edge to that mild manner he appreciated.

"The same time, well," Ignan's blue eyes flickered to the top of his fellow Professor's chalkboard a moment as he thought on things, "he and Sasha were looking into it by chance since that mid-August." He licked his lips, "And now he wants to be able to speak freely of it with whoever he chooses." He looked to Camille, swallowing. The witch blinked a few times in quick succession and placed her tea aside.

"Thank you then, for letting me know. Eventually." Ignan nodded faintly. "At least that answers a little more as to why you and Johann went to the sister's funeral before Christmas. That poor boy, he was a mess." Camille's gaze didn't blink as she examined Ignan's reaction, "He'd just lost the last of his family - or so he told me, and yet he had family right there with him. Not that I knew, at least." She shook her head and frowned. "Ignan he's been more than a student all this time, and you let him go home alone at Christmas. For Solomon's sake - he's your son and you went to Norway to get married!" Ignan lowered his gaze to his wedding ring and sat quietly. "He was grieving and you abandoned him! Did you even tell him you were going to do that? He needed you for goodness sake."

The natural pause in Camille's ticking off let him move, place his elbows on the table and clasp his hands before his mouth, listening, choosing how to reply to her. She made a very good point.

"Ignan?"
"The plans to Norway were set long before December." He replied quietly, not meeting her eyes.
"Plans can be changed. If I had known, I would have made sure he wasn't alone I-."
"Would have done a better job, a much better job. I know." Ignan winced and looked up at her. "I'm out of my depth. I told Sasha as much when I asked if he minded me telling you." The older wizard sighed, "He's grown up without me, without us all, and until then I didn't see him ever needing us," Camille looked to be about to say something, but swallowed her words, "Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. But he has the option."

Ignan shrugged and sat back, chair creaking gently. "I doubt we'll ever be that close, but he's fond of you, very fond of Johann… I can't bring myself to do it."
"It's hardly cross-species transfiguration, Ignan." Camille hrrmphed at his exasperated expression. "Grow a pair cousin."

There was a pause, but Ignan let out a brief chuckle, more for the expression from his cousin. She was trying out slang from the students as weeks went on, and would occasionally drop them into conversation at the wrong time. That one was a godsend to diffuse the awkward stand-off.
"Not sure that works coming from me." She admitted with a nod, corner of her mouth curling and colour reaching her cheeks, "But you understand the sentiment?"
"Yes," Ignan replied with mirrored amusement, nodding. "I do."