Moira knew where Professor Kesali's office was, of course how could she not? She had ruined his extra credit class there with a rather unfortunate accident. Now, a little over a month later, the Hufflepuff felt she could offer an explanation where it was due. The semester before had gone well enough and she didn't want this semester tainted by what had happened.

Honestly, she wasn't looking forward to reliving it again as she had finally gotten over it shortly after the holiday had started. There was the possibility though, that this time would be easier. Hadn't she read somewhere that difficult memories became easier to tell with each telling? Not any happier, though. No, this unhappy stain would always have a very literal mark on her.

The seminars had just ended, dinner had just started, but instead of eating first she made her way up to the tower and stood in front of the pale professor's door. Reminding herself she put herself there and she wasn't in trouble, she reached a hand up and knocked lightly, though firmly, on his door.

Gale had worried a great deal about Moira over the break. He worried of her well-being, and of her sanity. All of those fears were put to rest when he saw her at the Great Hall, but still he wanted to talk to her again. He wanted to touch base and make sure that she was in fact well, and that her little outburst last term wouldn't happen again.

To contact her was on his list, so when he heard the knock on his door he was a little surprised but pleased to find her there.

"Miss McBoid, come in." He opened the door the rest of the way for her and propped it open with one of the books he kept for such occasions. The fire was going, the hearth warm and inviting. He had a little bowl of soup there by his book as he was reading, and writing Chaz a letter stating how much he was missed.

"I've been meaning to talk to you. Would you like some tea? Soup? I have a few cakes over there. Make yourself comfortable."

Moira opened her mouth to decline the offer of soup or cakes when her stomach growled, reminding her she was still used to home-cooked meals. There was nothing wrong with the food prepared by the house elves but it wasn't home. The smell of Professor Kesali's food was rather enticing, apparently. Clearing her throat she got a bowl and took a seat. "Thank you." Hopefully this wouldn't make the telling more difficult. If she stayed aloof and detached she didn't doubt she could get it out. Then again, maybe this was better.... somehow.

"Well, Professor, I came by to... explain what happened that other night. With the apples. And to apologize. I didn't mean to ruin the extra practice time for all the other students." Another grumble from her stomach had her taking a few mouthfuls of soup, and she paused briefly in appreciation before practically inhaling more.

"Moira..." His Picardy accent made her name sound as whimsical as the bits of gold that hung from his ears, and he tried hard to remove it from his voice. "You do not have to apologize for anything, Ma petite, It is in the past. I would not hold it against you, but..." Gale stopped a moment and pulled his feet up under him lotus style to sit across from her on the sofa.

"If there is something bothering you, or something that you need to talk about. Know that I am here for you. You seemed very upset that day, and that is not like you."

Shaking her head she responded. "Even if ye believe so, I have to apologize and explain. It's only polite and ye deserve to know what happened." Draining the last of the soup in her bowl, burning her tongue in the process, she set it down and took a breath. The best place to start was the beginning, after all.

"There was a terrible accident at me home when I was five and I'm the only one to be blamed. It was late fall, and I ran off to visit our newest winged horses without telling anyone." That, if anything, was her mistake. If she had told someone or asked like she was supposed to.... there was no point focusing on that though, she had spent the majority of December grieving and beating herself up about it.

"A young stallion was nervous and frightened. I let them know I was there, but he still spooked and attacked. His hoof got me once, and then me mathair was between us. Da' was too far away and when he reached us she was already dead and I almost died too.

During yer class... Winnie got too close to the scar and it set off me reflexes." A few brief moments later she reached a decision. He would understand, likely. Slowly Moira pulled her hair back at her left temple, revealing the deep and nasty scar. After he saw it she let her hair fall back in place, hiding it once more.

He could tell the girl needed to talk, and was as always willing to listen. However, it concerned him how many students had so much heartache going on in their life. He wondered if more couldn't be done to fix it.

Listening to Moira his heart broke, he would have been cold and horrid if it didn't. Yet, he felt a bit of pride for her at being able to overcome most of the heartache that came along with this sort of thing. Scars were horrid things, he could testify to that, but he'd been emotionally scarred much deeper than his eye could have ever gone.

"I see it," He spoke wanting her to not feel she had to show it, "And this may sound a bit hard, Moira, but we are not only what we are on the outside. You can't let this come between you and your friends. They will embrace you, and if you are so upset by it then I would suggest seeking true help ok? It's hard I know, but you are beautiful. You need not worry of what that looks like."

Moira almost couldn't believe what she heard. He thought her worried about what it 'looked' like. Most of the time she didn't even notice getting injured she was too wrapped up in what she was doing, and if she received a scar out of it that created a memory that could be told, maybe, at a much later time. This scar, however, would never be a fun or happy memory to recant at any time. And oddly enough, she felt a slight flame of her temper flick up.

"I din-nae care what it looks like, Professor." Unbeknownst to Moira, her brogue accent became just a bit thicker and heavier than usual. "It's what it means, what it represents, that Ah can't stand. Anyone gettin' too close teh it is just another reminder that I caused me mathair to die." Shaking her head some she forced herself to relax. There was no point getting even a little bit angry about it.

"I know it's not me fault and that it was just an accident, but it does-nae make me any less responsible for what happened."

Handling these sorts of things was always tricky, and he felt this was a topic best saved for the school counselor, but he didn't want Moira to think he didn't understand. They had a lot in common, but a lot he wasn't willing to admit.

"Moira. You didn't cause your mother's death. No matter how you may feel about that, and it might take you a little while to realize it. But it wasn't your fault. My lover died in my arms during the great battle, but I didn't force him to be there. I didn't hold a wand to his head. It was an accident, just like this. And I know my words are lost on you, as they were on me. But I can promise you, it will get better and you will heal as time goes on."

Gale reached out to touch her shoulder, "And I'm here for you, as well as this entire school if you need, you know that right?"

The professor's explanation wasn't near the same type of situation, except where a dear one died. It was a battle, terrible as it was people chose to fight and then died. True enough her mother chose to save her, but Moira had chosen not to tell or ask to see the winged horses. By choosing not to, she forced her mother to make a choice to save her or not. As a caring, loving mother that Coira was, it was really no choice at all.

Moira didn't flinch away from him when he touched her shoulder and she turned her head to look at him. "Aye, professor. Ah know. Ah'm alright, though. Really, Ah did just come to explain why so yeh could understand me actions and moods over the past month."

"And you will have my understanding. I will excuse your moods and your behavior for the last few months, and the coming. But I want you to seek help, Moira. You can't do this on your own. Are you already talking to a counselor?" He felt so bad for the girl as he listened to her, trying his best to be a gentle hand to lead her through this. However, she would have to discover this on her own. He did.

"Are you falling behind in any other classes?"

Perhaps explaining things to Professor Kesali wasn't the best choice for her to have taken after all since he insisted on her seeking help. Now she just had to convince him she was alright. After all, she had spent almost the entire month of December in a bit of a stupor. Going home though had been revitalizing, and had gotten her well on the track of being her normal self. Had he said excused her mood and behavior for the last few months? Perhaps he thought her normal behavior was part of the problem.

"Professor... yeh seem to have misunderstood somewhere. December was the only time Ah was having trouble. Ah've come  ta terms completely with what happened and Ah'm back ta me usual self." As far as his question about her seeing a counselor, she opted to not answer. He would only insist she did so, anyway.