"No, they didn't let me." Moira gave a small smile, "I hid him with a bunch of shiny things in my trunk, used magic so he couldn't get out and run havoc and only let him out when there were no witnesses. When I went home for the holidays I took him with me." Convincing her dad to let Casper stay had been a different story. An agreement had been made though and the Niffler now lived in a private, warded, nest in her bedroom. Maybe one day she could get him a larger home.

Moira listened and nodded as Tawse explained why he had taken the Creatures lessons. Family could be a strong motivator when it came to picking classes. Herbology had been her family driven class considering her dad's herb garden. It helped that the witch liked plants. Learning how to discern a plant's properties was extremely helpful if she ever had an animal in medical need and no access to pre-made remedies.

"Aye, you're smart though. I bet you'll learn it well enough in time."

Blinking when he mentioned Ava's spouse she tilted her head slightly. "Interesting. I always liked Professor Prewett. Must be hard, keeping up with so much family." If Moira had any extended family she had no idea. A few years before she had found out she was cousins with Juni Zamperia. Since graduating their communications had more or less stopped completely. Losing that connection was a shame but not one that could be helped. "All I've got is me dad and uncle but I live with them so I don't think it really counts." There wasn't any keeping up to be done in her case.

Suddenly, the Granian headbutted Moira's shoulder, having been nudging and nosing her for a while to try and get some more attention, causing her to laugh. "You're like Tarbh, then. He was headbutting people soon as he could walk." Still, she turned a bit and scratched at the foal's neck and behind his ear, searching for the itchy spot they always seemed to have.

Looking to Xavier she added, "Tarbh's one of the stallions at home. He's friendly enough other than his communication choice."

Xavier snapped and pointed a finger at Moira, "Now that's impressive." He knew there were nifflers at the Castle but almost all of the ones he knew of were being taken care of by the Creatures Professors. They weren't your usual pet, for obvious reasons. The fact that she not only managed to keep him under wraps while at the castle but also that she had managed to keep him at home as well spoke volumes about her skills with animals. Xavier suddenly felt very good about her working at the ranch. It was clear she knew what she was doing when it came to the animals themselves.

Despite himself a blush came to his cheeks. He looked down at the colt again finishing off his smoothie and trying not to look like she had just embarrassed him. It wasn't as if he wasn't smart. He was brilliant in more ways than one and had been an almost straight O student with most of their Professors. He had managed to collect an impressive amount of OWLs and NEWTs but he wasn't seen as a Top Student, or head of their class. He often downplayed his intelligence and truth be told, many of his other talents often overshadowed it. He didn't often hear others call him smart.

He nodded with a bit of a shrug, "Prewett's pretty cool. Most o' it come from me Da's side. He's got six sista's, so there's a lot o' cousins. Most I don' really know." Despite having gone to Hogwarts with a good majority of them, with the exception of his oldest cousins, but then their own children had begun coming into Hogwarts in his later years as well, "I only recently learn'd I got a brotha an' sista meself. Well half. Diffe'ent mums." He rolled his shoulders and rubbed at the back of his neck a little nervously. He wondered if he'd ever get to the point where talking about Peyton and Helena didn't cause this sort of reaction in them. He knew once upon a time the information had made him angry. There was certainly deep rooted problems there, not to mention a rage towards his Grandfather for having modified his memories after he found out the first time. 

"But I live on me own now, so."

He listened to her talk about the horses she had back home, "Quite thee way ta git noticed. I think some guys at school used ta try tha." He added with a chuckle.

Moira ran her fingers over a colts' neck and shoulder, giving him a good scratch and pretended not to notice Xavier's blush. Perhaps he didn't take compliments very well. There were times when being praised even caught her off guard. Animals and cooking were the two main areas they did not. She knew she was good with animals. It was a self-expectation for her to be even better and so she chose to work here, for Xavier's company, to push her knowledge and abilities further. Moira was able to accept a compliment on her abilities with animals yet the drive within herself said 'not good enough.'

Listening to Tawse talk about his own family, though generic and vague, made Moira glad hers was so small. At least, as far as she knew. No doubt there were cousins strewn about all over the place but they weren't involved with her family dealings. Her family also wasn't a monetarily rich one with several businesses like the Tawse's. The McBoid's paid all their expenses and didn't want in anything that mattered; shelter, food, clothing, and the cost of caring for the animals.

Then he mentioned living on his own. Since finishing his smoothie Xavier looked better than he had at first arrival. Maybe loneliness was part of his problem? While at Hogwarts Moira had discovered people like her who could handle, if not outright prefer, being alone were few and far between. Most would seek out company during any free time they had, preferring it to the quiet of their own thoughts.

                        "Quite thee way ta git noticed. I think some guys at school used ta try tha."

"Not with me, fortunately." Moira paused a moment then gave a shrug. "I probably would have decked them." Especially in her beginning years at school the Hufflepuff was rather particular about being touched by strangers. Even in her own household a simple hug was not a day to day occurrence. Now she was better about being touched but would still tense up if not mentally prepared. The possibility existed that this was another reason she got along with creatures so well.

Xavier chuckled. He thought about all his romances at Hogwarts. His early years was really nothing more than flirting with the other girls in his house. It was until his fifth year that he had any 'serious' relationships. He knew Ayla was more the touchy feely type. She would have gladly accepted any advances he had made - in fact she had continually accepted them even years after they had broken up (there was even a possibility that she still would even now) Bellatrix definitely would have decked him if he had done anything she didn't like and he was almost as scared of Kit Branwell as he had been on the Dark twin he had dated before her. Then there was Strellie. The Russian Pixie certainly hadn't been the violent type, even if she could be scary in her own right. Though that had more to do with her Veela control over him than anything else. Finally there was Jordyn, the girl he thought he'd actually end up with . . . he suddenly shook his head, chastising himself for going down such a painful train of thought.

He forced a smile back at Moira, "No doubt they woulda des'rved it."

A small chime sounded from inside his pocket. Xavier narrowed his brow at the sound, trying to figure out where it had come from when it sounded again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an ancient looking silver pocketwatch. He popped the lid and the watch chimed again. He thinned his lips in a scowl. The watch face, instead of showing the typical numbers of a clock showed different locations instead. He had been given the watch when he took control of the company as a way of keeping track of all his appointments, "Damn, I thought I had a free aftanoon." He pocketed the watch and looked back up at Moira, "Looks like I'm need'd." He gave a last stroke to the mane of the colt he had been standing in front of, "I appreciate ye meetin' wit me. I 'ave no doubt thee colts are in good hands." He offered her a wide smile before carefully moving out of the paddock, "Good luck wit thee lot o' 'em."

Xavier waved her off, heading back down the path, and giving a last bit of love to Shining Armour before leaving the Ranch for his next appointment.