Sergei had been in regular contact with Melanthe. She had owled that she was staying at Signature, and when he had business to conduct in London he had decided to rent rooms there as well, and commute to London via Floo. Signature was elegant, and had the added bonus of being the current place of residence of Miss Grumman. He had chosen one of the deluxe suites, called Black hole. It was dark and reminded him of home. Private and comforting.

He had not told Melanthe that he would be staying at Signature as well, but instead asked if she would like to meet for dinner. He had wanted to discuss events with her over a meal and get her input. He valued her opinion, and thought she might have some insight on how to handle the very delicate situation he had come to take care of.

Sergei made reservations for seven in the evening. He arrived earlier in the day, along with his things, and settled into the room. Sergei took care in getting ready, wearing dark robes. He carefully styled his hair and shaped the beginnings of a beard. A few spritzes of cologne later and he was down at the dining area of Signature, waiting on his date to arrive.

He smiled when he saw her, one of the few genuine smiles that it seemed Melanthe was particularly skilled at eliciting. "You look positively stunning, though I would expect no less of a witch your caliber."[1] He brushed a gentle kiss against her cheek, and tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow as they were led to their table. "I hope I was not too much of an inconvenience with the last minute arrangements for dinner."

1.	All of Sergei's dialog is in Russian.

Melanthe's time in Hogsmeade had been filled with more business than pleasure it seemed, which was unusual for the fun loving, socialite witch. But she was rubbing elbows with the Durmstrang elite and being around those from her alma mater made her remember her school days when she was one of its most devoted students. Melanthe's talents would have been perfectly suited for the Tournament and she envied her cousin, Aliya, who would get to compete in it. Luckily, back in her day, Melanthe had the likes of Ignan Storm to mentor her and channel her energies more positively (even if the results were less than positive for everyone).

In the evenings, Melanthe did manage to host some small gatherings - meet and greets or cocktail hours -- at the Signature suite she was staying at, but her time in the wizarding village had been lacking something substantial.

Though she had been communicating with Sergei Morozov quite regularly since her birthday dinner the previous fall, both of their schedules had kept them from spending a lot of time together. So she was surprised when she returned from luncheon to find a message from the Russian wizard requesting to meet for dinner. Something fluttered inside of her. Even after months of not seeing him, the mere thought of being in his presence was capable of affecting her so.

Of course she replied back that she would be happy to dine with him that evening. Then she headed off in search of an appropriate outfit to wear, which was quite the calculated task for her. Eventually, with some help, she decided on a lovely green dress that was not too revealing or outrageous. Though she didn't feel like she needed to pretend to be different around someone like Sergei, Melanthe knew how to present herself to him to get the reaction she wanted.

She wanted Sergei Morozov to be hers. She knew she was playing a game with him, just as he might be doing with her. But it was a tantalizing game she never minded playing if it yielded results. And so far, it had.

After one last glance over her outfit, Melanthe slipped a long black silk cape over her shoulders and headed out of the her suite at Signature.

The dark witch nearly lost her composure upon seeing Sergei's handsome figure waiting for her. For as long as she could remember, she always found him attractive and alluring. And yet for many years, because he had been so much older and then married and more recently in mourning, he been off limits to her.

But here he was now.

She had expertly collected herself by the time he turned his smile on her and managed to return it with vigor. She reveled in his compliment and kiss to her cheek. "Spasiba, Seryozha," she returned, using a diminutive and affectionate form of his given name in their native tongue. Then she ducked her eyes and added, "But I am only this stunning when I am with you." It could be seen as an attempt at flattery, but it was genuine on her part. There was something about being in his presence that made her glow.

As her hand settled into its place on his arm, she held herself more closely to the indomitable Sergei. allowing him to take the lead. "It was no bother at all to make time to see you, especially if you are not in town long. It's so rare we are both in the same place at once these days. We must make the most of it, da?"

There were not many people that Sergei would allow to address him in such an affectionate way, but he and Melanthe had been owling regularly and considering his intentions he could not complain. Besides, he liked the way it sounded on her tongue, and couldn't help the soft smile when she dropped her eyes. The flattery was well placed, as Sergei preferred to think that Melanthe did not put as much effort into her appearance for others as she did for him.

"I shall be in town for a month at least," he said to Melanthe. "Perhaps much longer. But I will not bore you with the reasons for my arrival until we have had chance to properly catch up with one another. I am most interested to hear about your time in Hogsmeade and how you are enjoying your stay here at Signature."

They arrived at their table, and the host pulled out Melanthe's chair for her. Sergei took his own seat, waiting for the host to leave before speaking again. "I have heard good things about the dining here," he said to Melanthe. "I hope I am not dissapointed. Perhaps I should have made arrangements in London or taken you to Paris again for the evening." He picked up the menu, glancing over it with little interest.

"Tell me, what brings you away from Tyen Manor? Surely it is more than the tournament." Sergei could not imagine Melanthe having such an invested interest in the tournament. He thought little of it himself, Durmstrang was clearly superior regardless of the outcome of a silly competition. Send Hogwarts and Beauxbatons to Durmstrang, see how they fared then!

Melanthe was pleased that Sergei allowed her to use his pet name. It meant that she had crossed a fine line with him. His brother, Gregori, had always been more carefree and inviting, barely with any boundaries when it came to others. Sergei had always been more guarded and reserved. But it was his mystery that had always enthralled Melanthe, from the time she was young until this very moment. He was like a puzzle to be solved and Melanthe dearly wanted to be victorious.

She was surprised by his news that he was to be in town for the month. But very pleased. "I plan to be here for a while as well. I have some business and social matters to attend to while I am here. Hogsmeade is such a quaint little place with so much to do. Perhaps I will be able to see more of it in between meetings."

She flashed him another smile. "It shall no doubt be more enjoyable with you here. Unless...all your time here will be business," she mused, her face falling just as quickly into a pout. She patiently waited for Sergei to offer his thoughts on the dining situation. When he suggested London or Paris she gave a dismissive wave. "I will never be disappointed when I am with you."

She glanced at the menu and addressed his question of what brought her here. "I plan to visit with my former professor, Ignan Storm. Perhaps you remember him? Aliya is also slated to compete in the Tournament and I do wish to offer her my support since her father cannot be here." She looked up again, her dark eyes thoughtful. "And since Caspero could not make it, he requested that I meet with some of his business contacts on behalf of the family business."

"Perhaps we can explore this quaint little town together," Sergei offered with a charming smile of his own. He would very much enjoy having a beautiful woman on his arm, and the two of them could do more than hang about the small Scottish village. They could easily take trips to Paris, London, or perhaps even to Moscow for an evening. So long as he was not too busy with what had brought him to town. Hopefully that matter would resolve itself rather quickly. "I am also staying in one of the suites here," he said to her. "So it would be no inconvenience."

Sergei continued to skim over the menu as Melanthe spoke, missing the well placed pout when she mentioned business, listening to her describe the desire to meet with Professor Storm and mentioning Aliya. More information about her father and Melanthe having some business meetings of her own. "You flatter me, Melanthe," he said, in response to her compliment. "Though I fear I do hold a few disappoints, let us hope you do not discover them for years to come."

"It is nice that you have come to support Aliya. Do you think she will be chosen as a champion?" Sergei asked. "I do remember that the last time there was such a tournament Viktor Krum represented us, and did a decent job of it. It would be interesting to see a female with such responsbility and such a level of skill." Clearly, though, Sergei doubted that it was possible.

"If you need an excort for any of your meetings, please do not hesitate to ask. I am not here on business, so I will likely have a great deal of free time for the duration of my visit..."

Sergei trailed off again, ordering wine and an appetizer when the waiter returned. "Tell me, have you heard from Grisha?" he asked curiously. Sergei had still not pinpointed the exact whereabouts of his layabout brother.

"I would love the opportunity to spend more time with you, Sergei," she said earnestly. Though she already had quite the social calendar planned with friends and business "associates", Melanthe would make time for someone as important as Sergei, especially if he requested her company. Afterall, she was still trying to show him that she was serious about being more to him than all the other little witches who had tried to attach themselves to his arm for years.

She idly looked over the menu, even though she already knew what she would choose in the event that Sergei did not already plan to order for them both. Finally, she set the menu aside and watched him deflect her compliment. She responded with a murmured, "We all have our secrets."

She didn't let that comment linger long before she breezed onto talk of the Tournament. She bristled a bit at what Sergei's comment seemed to suggest -- that a female could not be as good a champion as a male. But she attempted to hide this when she returned evenly,  "I think Aliya would make a fine Champion. She's a Grumman, afterall. And we can be fierce competitors when there is something we want enough." She flashed him a rueful smile, wondering if Sergei realized that he was included among such wanton desires.

She kept her dark eyes steady on his face and with unwavering confidence, she declared, "I would have been one of Durmstrang's finest Champions, if I had ever had the opportunity." The dark witch paused and smirked at him, as if knowing what he was thinking already. "Oh I know I don't look like much sitting here in my beautiful clothes and parading around the world as a socialite, but I assure you, I'm quite dangerous."

In her own little way, this was Melanthe's way of mocking the image many had of her. If only they knew what she was truly capable of, they would be singing a different tune. Much like that Matthews boy was singing when she first singed his skin and then played games with his mind.

But let them underestimate her if they wished. They would find out when the time was right.

Melanthe ducked her head and felt a husky giggle rise in her throat. Their drinks arrived then and she happily drank the wine Sergei had ordered for them. Again, she echoed her sentiments from before. "I'd love for you to accompany me on some to some of my functions. If you don't feel you would be too bored," she added quickly, a polite effort on her part to give him a way out.

Melanthe's expression darkened as she finally took notice of the peculiar way that Sergei was acting. He had always been more thoughtful and businesslike than his younger brother, but this was different even for him. Clearly there was something on his mind. And his abrupt question referenced his dear brother and somehow his behavior made a little more sense.

"Grisha? Why? What's he done now?"

"I did not mean to insinuate that Aliya would not make a good champion," Sergei offered half-heartedly. He had certainly meant no insult to Melanthe, Aliya, or the Grumman family- but he still believed that women had no place participating in what could easily be such a very dangerous tournament. Women were to be protected, not offered up as sacrifice for sport. At least, not for that kind of sport.

He couldn't help the devilish grin that spread across his features when Melanthe assured him that she was quite dangerous. Sergei had no doubt about that. But it was the danger and the fact she was not a weak little flower that he found attractive. Of course a proper wife knew her place in the household, but it would be incredibly boring to be romantically attached to a woman who never fought for herself. What was the point of having a relationship if there was no challenge involved?

But his smile faltered when she asked what his brother had done now. Sergei's shoulders slumped and he sighed quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Nobody has seen him for months. This is not particularly out of the ordinary, but this time things seem to be a bit more serious. A young girl from a very wealthy British pureblood family has also gone missing- and they are convinced that she and Grisha have run away together. There are rumors that he got the girl pregnant and that is why they have disappeared."

Sergei gave Melanthe a very serious look, "This is, naturally, to be kept secret Melanthe. I would prefer that word of this goes no further than the offhand rumor. But her family called mine, and I have been sent to find him, correct the situation, and bring him home. My parents do not approve of his union with a girl with such loose morals, and are hoping that with a purse large enough her family could be bribed into forgetting the whole thing and giving the baby up." His tone showed that he clearly agreed with this solution. "But Grisha is stubborn. He may have married her already."

"It is not the first time that he has been accused of fathering a child, but the first time he has taken such a claim seriously and opted to stay with the lady rather than denying her and the child."

Melanthe eyed Sergei with interest. But she also regarded him with an air that clearly indicated her indifference to his line of thinking about female champions. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything more on the matter but she could not quell the competitive desire within her that wished for nothing more than the young ladies of her Alma Mater to wipe the tournament floor with any young men who might stand in their way. It would serve them all right for underestimating them.

Still, it was hard to fault Sergei for his chivalrous view of the world. She simply hoped he wouldn't hold her to it if....

She didn't allow herself to finish that line of thinking. Why burden her thoughts with that concern until it was necessary? Sergei wasn't hers yet. And she certainly wasn't his. And even if she was his someday, she was never going to be just his arm candy or the woman who bore his children and took care of the home. If need be, she would
happily remind him of that.

For now though, Melanthe turned her chocolate hued eyes to Sergei when he spoke of his woes regarding Gregory. Even before he started to get into greater detail of the younger Morozov's transgressions, she was already silently thankful that her own brother was a respectable wizard who required no hand holding or cleaning up of any messes. She might call her baby brother many things -- weak willed and boring among them -- but a detestable cad he was not.

"Of course I won't share this information, but I am so sorry that Grisha is causing you such headaches," she offered apologetically. She boldly reached across the table to brush her fingertips over Sergei's knuckles. Quietly, she told him, "And if it would help, I could discreetly inquire around to my contacts to see if they have heard anything." Lowering her voice still further and leaning closer to her companion, Melanthe spoke yet again. "I could even send word to Uncle Caspero on your behalf. Surely he would be able to help you."

The situation was indeed unfortunate for Sergei and she hoped he would not remain in a bad mood because of it. Otherwise, she might find Grisha herself and scold him for being so foolish. But, she had to remind herself that it was not her mess to take care of.

After a sip from her drink, she carefully asked, "What will you do if he has married her already and wishes stay with her and the child?"