The Inner Eye
Hogsmeade
2:30 pm

Cillian descended the stairs at the back of the shop leading from his flat to the back rooms. He past the small conference room past the storage area where he still occasionally gave lectures and lessons regarding divination. There wasn't a large rush of new prophecies being made around the world and it had been some time since he had left the country in search of one which gave him some extra time. He pushed aside the velvet purple curtain that lead him into the main shop itself. He didn't often work the shop, though he now owned it, he felt the clerks and managers were much better suited to serve customers than he ever had been. The small shop had a fair amount of customers shuffling about, he supposed coming close to Christmas the early shoppers were out and about trying to find that perfect gift. Or they were desperate to find some answer as to what the New Year held or whether or not their sweetheart would be theirs by Christmas or even New Years. Cillian abhorred these people.

He approached the front counter with a smile, his beard was well groomed and his hair lay straight and flat with a slight curl around his ears giving him a much less disheveled look than was common for him lately. Most of the dreams had subsided and those that were still persisting, he was simply getting used to. Most were focused around a certain female werewolf he didn't know the identity of and was finding that he was starting to look forward to dreaming of her - at least until the violence slipped in.

"How're things going Selina?"

The fresh faced girl behind the register beamed at him with a wide smile, she looked barely old enough to be out of Hogwarts, "Good day so far Mr. Cuthbert."

Cillian smirked, "Please Selina, you've known me for long enough to call me Cillian."

The girl blushed, "Um I saw Penelope slip out this morning when I opened, she didn't look too happy, is everything okay?"

Cillian smiled despite himself. The blush on her cheeks, the glint in her eyes and the hopeful undertone when she inquired as to the stability of his romantic life lead him to belief she was interested in him but Cillian had other things to think about. It was true that his relationship with Penny had been stressed for quite some time now but neither seemed willing to actually address the issue, "We're fine." He glanced over his shoulder, "Looks like you have a customer."

Shopping for Divination supplies could be an incredibly frustrating endeavor. Most of the times that Aisling went out to engage in such led to her returning in a rather cold mood and resolving, ever fruitlessly, to determine a method of divining where and how to find proper materials for the subject.

Fortunately, so far that Saturday she had been looking for less problematic content, and she had a couple small packages of books and other items. Some lovely new pillowcases, which she would decide didn't match after she went home. That was always followed by her 'accidentally' whatever form of receipt she might have had, and then defaulting to placing them in Krix's small room.

Once she entered the Inner Eye she stood there for a moment and looked around, seemingly unsure. Divination tended to be a rather awkward subject for discussion, especially around those who were uncomfortable with the idea of reading entrails. Arithmancy tended to be much easier to discuss. And shop for. Or at least, easier everywhere but here.

But since she was there, it was best to make use of it. And thus she made her way over to the counter and gave the young woman behind it-and oh, that was Cillian Cuthbert as well-a bit of a smile. "Excuse me, but would you happen to have much on Extispicy?"

Cillian gave an inward sigh at the look on Selina's face. Either the girl had no idea what she was talking about or she actually was aware of the subject but found it rather disgusting. Either way she didn't look like she was about help the customer. As much as he hated working in the store he couldn't just let the woman go without service, especially when he happened to know her.

"Right this way Madame Knight." He gave Selina a wink and led Aisling down one of the aisle's in the store. He brought her up to a display in the back that showcased several heavy tomes and decorative blades.

"We've got everything you might need. Tomes for every type of Extispicy from beginner to advanced along with many different alters and ceremonial blades." He waved his hand over the display. Despite the bad reputation the ancient form of divination got, Cillian actually liked it. It felt more like being connected with his muggle side than his Seer side and really it wasn't that far from performing an autopsy.

"Not many Diviners practice Extispicy anymore, but from what I remember you were always good with the older practices." She had only attended a few of his seminars but she was memorable enough. She had real respect for the subject and didn't look to it for personal gain, something Cillian found seriously annoying about many of his other students.

Aisling stepped towards the display case, her gaze drawn to one of the more ornate blades. "Wonderful, thank you. I've been needing a new knife for some time." Finding her previous one had been difficult enough. The blades for this were something she was always particular about. The grip, the weight, the curve of the blade. No matter what the setting was, the ritual needed to be perfect. "And I've put quite a bit of study into such. That and practice. Though new books are always informative as well."

Such a collection on the subject had a certain reassurance to it. An acknowledgment that it wasn't completely forgotten, no matter what the young woman behind the counter remembered. Aisling motioned at one of the smaller knives, and gave Cillian a friendly smile. "That one seems a likely candidate, if I may. And I will admit to being pleasantly surprised to see you here." Her head tilted as she looked over the other blades again. "Don't believe that we've spoken since that last seminar."

Cillian watched her with interest as she viewed the display case. Despite himself he was trying to put on his best face and give her the type of service that customers had come to respect from the Inner Eye. While he didn't like the customer service part and had mostly stuck to doing private lessons and seminars he had been working for the store for almost six years and now that he actually owned the place - having inherited it from it's late owner - he didn't want the shop to lose it's upstanding reputation.

He nodded when she indicated a blade and with a wave of his hand unlocked the display case and carefully removed the blade with a silk cloth handing it over, "It is definitely a pleasure to see you again Madame Knight," He addressed her as such as a show of respect. The lady herself while strikingly beautiful had almost two decades on him and he didn't believe he knew her well enough to address her by her first name anyways.

"I'm working over at the Ministry now, Department of Mysteries, but when the owner of the shop passed away earlier in the year he left it to me." He spoke slow and deliberately knowing that many were unfamiliar with his muddled Irish accent and had a hard time understanding him otherwise. He felt he needed to make a good impression for the sake of the 'sale' though he had to admit to himself afterwards that during his Seminars he often slipped into his common speech and it was likely Aisling had heard it before.

The knife felt good in her hands. There was a fine detail to the handle, tiny little diamonds outlined by twisting, intersecting lines softly carved. Cillian's formality felt a touch odd, though, particularly his speech. But to comment on it seemed likely to make the situation uncomfortable, and so she simply filed away the observation. "The Department of Mysteries? The Ministry must be delighted to have you. I'm still with Accidents and Catastrophes, of course." She lifted the knife to inspect the engravings on the blade.

"You're welcome to stop by some day. The tea isn't too bad, so far as offices go.  I've been trying to allow a bit more time for intellectual discussion, with the girls away at school. Though it took a bit of a hit with the incidents over Halloween." A careful twirl of the knife, and then she turned her head to look up at the various tomes in the case. "This is the first time I've managed to find a proper blade so quickly. Obviously, this means I need a new book to go with it as well. Especially-" Just a little flicker of a grin. "Especially since if I don't snatch up that last bit of bookshelf space, Tarron will find something dull on law to fill it  with. Any recommendations?"

Cillian chuckled, "Oh aye, quite thee asset Ah've become, sittin' at me desk all day twiddlin' me tumbs." Cillian let out a bitter chuckle. He actually rather enjoyed his work but it was as unpredictable as the visions and prophecies he cataloged. He had gone entire weeks without actually doing any work simply because there was nothing for him to do. Though he had to admit as lonely as it was it was rather nice to spend so much time alone to sift through his own visions and try to determine any meaning or warning in them. The dreams on a magical disease epidemic seemed to have ebbed (perhaps the immediate danger had passed) but the dreams with the werewolves were becoming much more persistent.

He suddenly seemed to realize what he had said and gave her a sheepish grin, "Fergive me, when Ah firs' started 'ere thee owner though' me accent was too 'arsh fer thee customers. I jus got used ta speakin' all proper fer 'im."

He cleared his throat and brought his mind back to the issue at hand. He looked from the knife she was holding to the tomes displayed on the wall. He pulled a heavy leather bound one off the shelf. It looked aged, the leather worn down in a few of the corners and the pages had yellowed. He flipped it open, the ink was light and on some pages where there were intricate diagrams that were brown and suggested that when the book had been written they were originally scribed in the blood of the animal that had been described.

"Dhis beauty 'ere, is onna me favourties. She's old but well wurff it. Thee diagrams are thee most intricate Ah've managed ta find, an' dhere's whole chapters on thee history o' each ritual."

Aisling responded to Cillian's protests, and subsequent apology, with a polite chuckle. It wasn't that often that she had the chance for much of a conversation about Divination, let alone her areas of specialization. "I believe you have not yet met my husband. My life is by no means lacking in formality." Despite the words, her voice grew a little warmer, something amplified by small gestures with her hands. "And it is your store now.  Which has proven most fortunate for me, given my usual luck with equipment."

The tome quickly shifted her towards pleased curiosity, and she leaned slightly towards it. "Oh, that is beautiful. And so very detailed. My father promised me a lamb for the Solstice, and this would be perfect to use." Nice sheep were something her father could understand, at least. And it was always good to hold onto what few commonalities still remained. "How old is it?"

Cillian gave a polite smile and a nod. He was a muggleborn and an orphan but he wasn't a stranger to the ideals of proper wizard society even outside the pure blood fanatics. It wasn't that far from any high society in the muggle world. People seemed to think that wealth was synonymous with etiquette and a certain type of behaviour. It was almost entertaining to see how many similarities there really were between muggle and wizard even no one else was willing to see it.

He tried not to cringe but couldn't help the tint of crimson that rose to his cheeks when she mentioned the store was his now. It wasn't that he didn't want the shop, it had been a large part of his life for many years now it just had never been a role he had seen himself in. He had no idea what he had expected from life but somehow this wasn't it. Maybe it was his disdain for the customers or his failing relationship but there was just something about his whole situation that left him feeling uneasy and on edge. Thankfully Aisling was the kind of woman to stay on topics that didn't involve his personal life.

"When Ah firs got it in, dhey were thinkin' it was Mesopotamian, but it culd be even older than that."

"Even older?"  Now that made Aisling even more curious about the book, as if she hadn't had enough of a desire to inquire about it before. Cillian's flushed cheeks provided plenty of motivation to stay off more personal subjects as well. "Do you have any theories on that? It's remarkably well-preserved."

The book was starting to seem like something that would require a display case rather than just a large and not too dusty section of a bookshelf. "And will it need special care, then? I would hate to see it damaged, from everything you've said."

She leaned over a bit more to get a better look, careful not to touch or breathe on the ancient pages. "I think we have a few cases that could be used, if needed. Something like this deserves a place of pride."

Cillian rubbed the back of his neck as he gave some thought to the book. True it was one of his favourites regarding the subject in question but then again it wasn't a very popular subject. It seemed like once in a blue moon that he actually had a customer enquire about it and he wasn't used to spending that much time in the store as it was, "Neva really tought bout it. When it firs came in mebbe but not recently. Wouldn' know where ta start ta be 'onest."

He glanced at the shelf itself. He knew the night crew had been given explicit instructions on how to take care of everything when they closed up. Which cleaners to use, which spells had to be performed on a nightly basis so that none of the merchandise got ruined or deteriorated. This shelf in particular had about seven spells that needed to be performed on a regular basis.

"There are a few care spells tha' need ta be performed ta keep it in shape, nuthin' too complicated. I'll make sure ye git a list o' e'm when ye check out." Cillian smirked, "An' I'm sure she'd like a place o' pride afta all dese years onna shelf." It may have sounded weird to refer to the book with such personality but Cillian had been around enough magical objects over his years to know that most of them did pick up a little bit of personality whether you wanted them to or not. It was just the nature of magic he supposed. Perhaps that was why he preferred furnishing his flat with as much muggle items as possible.

Aisling nodded. "I could hardly give it any other place. Such items aren't meant to be ignored." There was a certain gratefulness to her voice, one didn't expect to find quite such ancient of books lying about, after all. "I can promise that it will receive careful care." Such was rather a benefit of an enthusiastic House Elf. Krix was absolutely stellar with caring for such matters.

She looked away from the book for a time, attention focused on Cillian instead. "Since I have managed to capture your attention for the moment, I must ask if you intend any seminars in the near future. I would enjoy attending another, and I do have a bit more time for such studies now, with the girls away at school."

And she very much wanted to set aside a little time for learning before work and social responsibilities swallowed it up.

Cillian let a smile play across his lips, "Ah wouldn' expect anythin' less." Not only did Aisling seem like the kind of woman to take meticulous care of everything she owned, especially those items she had a passion for, but he was pretty sure she was a well off enough witch to have a house elf or two bustling around. Being muggleborn Cillian never understood the fascination wizard's had with the little creatures but he supposed had his parents been rich he would have had a nanny and a few servants here and there. It was essentially the same thing when you ignored the fact that the elves were slaves. Cillian refrained himself from chuckling when he remembered the campaign that was going through Hogwarts when he was a student, something about elf rights, he had never really paid attention at the time.

She caught him a little lost in his thoughts when she asked about any upcoming seminars, "I don' haff anythin' definitive planned," It wasn't like he was spending long nights at work because there was actual work to be done and Penelope wasn't ragging on him to spend time with her on the weekends anymore, in fact she seemed to be going out of her way to ignore him these days, so most of his time was actually free, "But once somethin' becomes more solid I'll definitely let ye know."

He gave her another charming smile, "Why don' we git tha' rung through fer yeh?" He held his hands out for the items she had picked, "Unless there was somethin' else Ah culd do fer yeh?"

"I think this is all I need. Or more than I need, but one can never have too many books." Aisling returned the smile, and handed Cillian the items as she did so. "And I did have a bit more shopping to do elsewhere, as easy as it is to get absorbed in your lovely selection." The more boring, mundane shopping wasn't something she looked forward to, but it still needed to be done.

"And letting me know would be so appreciated. I can get a bit busy sometimes. It'll be much easier to fit in with a bit of advance notice." Most of her distractions were related to either work or society events-neither of which could be disengaged from too easily.