Eamonn[1] had been teaching at Hogwarts earlier in the day.  For some reason he wanted to delay his return to the Isle of Skye tonight.  It was mostly for the fact Kronos had been in a terrible mood late this afternoon, and though he wasn't sure why he wasn't terribly fond of finding out or experiencing the aftermath.

On the plus side he really didn't have any work to be done in the immediate moment, so he could afford a few hours of time to himself.  It was a spontaneous decision, meandering through the streets of Hogsmeade, he felt the weight of his bag and remembered his treatise on the astrological correspondences to the Tarot.  It would be fine to grab a beer and pour over it until dark, when he could quietly slip into his sleeping quarters, read his i-ching, and go into meditation.  Tomorrow he was counted on to be his master's oracle.

It had been about twenty minutes in the Three Broomsticks when he was on the chapter for number 12 of the Major Arcana, the Hanged Man, Neptune, and the related cards - The Moon and Knight of Cups for Pisces when he felt a strange sensation.  Someone almost hovering over his shoulder, except he wasn't.  When he looked up he saw a familiar face from the castle, just entering the tavern, and his interest grew.

He waved his hand lackadaisically in greeting, maintaining eye contact that would invite.  He'd seen the man round the castle, and even knew his face from the Ravenclaw tower from a longer time ago, an older student who he'd had minimal contact with back in his school days.  Perhaps he'd pick up on the offer and come over.  Eamonn wasn't usually so inviting but some sixth sense seemed to draw him in toward the fellow.  Or perhaps it was simply the influence of his ale, to be more social and generally curious.

1.	Thread title from Four Leaf Clover

The end of a standard work day was usually an opportunity to laze about; for Tapendra, this sometimes equated to heading for the bar. Often, when alone, he found himself at Signature - back to the wall, bright lights reflecting off his glasses as he drank alone, read a book and wondered how long it would be until modern wizard dance music was at all decent. He still did not think of a bagpipe as an ideal accompaniment for dance, and never would.

He drew his coat up around his shoulders as he stepped into the warm interior of the Three Broomsticks. The winter cold had not yet broken, and so the warmth of the place was a welcome change from the crisp cold of the night air. It'd certainly make the hard butterbeer all the more appealing.

He hadn't gone far when movement in the quiet bar caught his eye. Tall and generally awkward as he was, it took his a moment to realize Eamonn was gesturing at him - he glanced behind him, sure the man was looking past him. But once he was fairly sure of the fact, he raised an eyebrow and strode over.

Tapendra's memory for those in the years below him at school was not the best; his own recognition came more from the name and the fact he knew the man taught seminars.

"Mister Mullen!" He said, with a wide, sunny smile. "Good evening. Something I can do for you?" His eye dropped to the papers and cards spread out before the man. Arithmancy and Divination supplies, it seemed.

He hadn't entirely expected the man to come over, even though the thought had crossed his mind and the gesture had been welcoming as much.  His countenance was pleasantly gregarious, and he did recognize him by name, which side-stepped some awkwardness.

"It's good to see a familiar face, Professor Trishna."  He smiled.

Eamonn shrugged, wearing an amiable Libran frown for a moment that said, why not...?

"Care for some company?  I was just enjoying an ale before I settle in for the night.  I don't mean to distract you if you'd rather have solitude.  A quiet moment can be hard to come by."  Or, if he had plans to meet another, which was possible.  Eamonn rarely had get-togethers with friends so the possibility was an afterthought.  By his own nature he assumed others enjoyed reticence as much as him. 

It wouldn't hurt to make some friends at the castle, however.  As it stood his presence was rather limited to his seminars, due to the security surrounding not just the Tetrawizard Tournament, but recent unfavourable events as well.  If he had reason to return to Hogsmeade to nurture connections, it would only make his employer more content to keep him stationed part time at Hogwarts.  He'd come to enjoy his weekly Tarot seminars and sparse conversations with Sasha Schlagenweit more than he had ever imagined, and Eamonn had no desire to be called off of his post to do more work at the various estates. 

Tapendra was hardly a social butterfly, so to speak, but wasn't the sort to turn down company when it was offered. Usually. Had he not known Eamonn at all, he might have been more hesitant, unsure of himself. Instead, he was quite happy with the offer.

"I wouldn't mind at all," he said with a broad smile, pulling out one of the chairs at Eamonn's table, careful not to overturn any of the papers and cards arrayed across the surface. Divination was a field Tapendra had a sore history with, its practitioners all too often a bit lacking in rationality. A man who combined it with Arithmancy was of interest, then; Arithmancy required more rational thinking than most magical subjects.

"Oh, quiet moments aren't too difficult," he said, with a soft laugh. "Not when it takes marching up several flights of stairs to visit you. I get plenty of moments to myself."Most of the day, really, which could get lonely at times. More people seemed to be ascending the tower these days, though.

"As these for your classes? Or for yourself?" He asked, looking down at the table. Tarot was something he knew less than nothing about, he felt. He'd dropped Divination after only one semester, too frustrated by Trelawney's...well, her personality to continue.